Mallorca Olive Press - Issue 41 by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

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Vol. 2 Issue 41 www.theolivepress.es November 8th - November 21st 2018

Bunch of bankers HOMEBUYERS will have to pay the hefty mortgage tax when purchasing a property, Spain’s Supreme Court has finally ruled. After 15 hours of debate over who should pay the tax, known as the AJD, judges from the Supreme Court voted 15 to 13 that the client should foot the bill, NOT the bank. “The banks win and the citizen loses,” said Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias. The tax is a substantial fee - up to 1.5% of the property price - which is paid to the notary and allows banks to start foreclosure proceedings should the client fail to keep up with mortgage payments. The tax has been paid by the client for the past 20 years.

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Your country needs you! THE UK government is drafting in British expats as recruitment numbers reach an all time low. The Ministry of Defence has announced that foreign nationals will now be allowed to join the British army, even if they have never lived in the country. Previously, prospective soldiers from the Commonwealth had to have lived in Britain for five years. Under the policy, recruits will be con-

sidered for all forces including the Royal Navy and the RAF, with applications opening in early 2019. It is hoped the changes will lead to an extra 1,350 people joining every year. The UK armed forces are short of 8,200 soldiers, sailors and air personnel, a report found earlier this year, the worse shortage since 2010. If you have become a fully fledged citizen in Spain, however, you won’t be accepted.

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Brain teaser Can you tackle Mallorca’s toughest crossword?

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Torched

But in mid-October, a decision was taken by the Supreme Court dictating that the banks should pay as the document in question is in the lender’s interest. However, as shares in a number of Spanish banks, including Bankia and Sabadell, promptly tumbled at the prospect of a massive payout on on retroactive legal claims, the President of the Administrative Litigation Division of the Supreme Court, Luis Díez-Picazo, dictated a day later. Had the judges decided the banks should shoulder the minimum of four years of backdated payments, the €6 billion-plus bill would have been a blow to the financial sector, but according to Manuel Pardos, President of Adicae, an association for bank clients, the banks are ‘being cry babies’. If the decision had been in favour of the buyers, the Balearic government would have had to pay back €157 million in tax refunds. Balearic citizens would have saved the DOZENS of police cars and most out of anyone in Spain, motorbikes have been set averaging a savings of €2,375 on fire in Mallorca causing per mortgage. more than €400,000 worth “They’re moaning and claimof damages. Untitled-1.pdf 1 16/06/2017 15:36 ing they’ll be ruined, which The blaze destroyed half a simply isn’t true,” he said. dozen police cars and some

More than 20 police vehicles ‘intentionally’ set on fire in Palma causing hundreds of thousands of euros in damage 20 motorbikes at the Llevant Policia Local station in the Son Gotleu neighbourhood in Palma. Neighbours alerted local officials and the fire brigade after the fire was started at

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around 4.30am on Monday. The Policia Cientifica has opened an investigation into the cause of the flames but all signs point towards it being an intentional attack. In a bizarre twist, sources

now suspect it could be an inside job. Although there is an operating CCTV camera in the car park of the station, no images were recorded from the night as a new server is waiting to be installed. The installation is expected to be carried out next week. It comes as Palma has been brutally hit by some 300 arson attacks in the past 11 months. It took over an hour to extinguish the flames, with Palma

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town hall estimating that the damages stand at over €400,000. "It is clear that the person who has done it has very little fear of entering a police station, he has done a lot of damage to all citizens, because we pay for this with everyone's taxes," said head of Seguridad Ciudadana, Angelica Pastor. Palma Policia Local chief, Josep Palouzie, said there are clear indications that the fire was deliberate as the flames started at several different points at the same time. The official did not rule out the possibility that the attackers could also be responsible for a wave of deliberate fires started in bins and cars across Palma in recent weeks. Many police officers have been forced to take to the streets on foot or in groups in a van. Police lockers were also destroyed in the blaze.

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NEWS IN BRIEF Makes you sick A FATHER who defrauded well wishers of €400,000 by pretending his daughter had a rare and fatal disease has been sentenced to five years in prison. The mother, who was involved in the scame, received three and a half years.

Linked up CALVIA will link Santa Ponsa and El Toro with a new stretch of pathway for pedestrians. The Paseo de Calvia will extend an extra 5 kilometres to link the two towns, with a bicycle path and walking path lined with trees and lit up for safety.

Build it back RECONSTRUCTION of the false tunnel in Estellencs has begun and will continue until February 22. The 48-metre long tunnel was severely damaged last January when a 25 ton piece of rock fell from the cliff over 100 metres above.

Nolotil victory

Lethal painkiller BANNED for Brits after hard-fought battle and Olive Press campagin A LETHAL painkiller believed to be responsible for the deaths of dozens of expats is finally being regulated in Spain. Nolotil, which the Olive Press has investigated for nearly two years, has been banned for tourists in Spain. In a breakthrough move, The Spanish Medicine Agency (AEMPS) has finally issued a directive to all healthcare bodies to stop giving the drug to

British and Irish tourists. Expats in Spain will now be administered Nolotil on a short term prescription only. Furthermore it can only be prescribed after a detailed analysis of the patient’s medical history and heritage. It will also have to be much more closely monitored. It comes after an Olive Press investigation into the mysterious deaths of expats from the drug

November 8th - November 21st 2018 Voted

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THE Olive Press is giving away pairs of tickets three tribute for two of the certs on the Costa best con- Whole bands Think Floyd, Deeper Purple and Lotta Led And all you have del Sol this summer... of Pink Floyd, rocking out the greatest hits ple questions! to do is answer two simat the Plaza delDeep Purple and Led Zeppelin Michael Bolton For a chance Toros on August 26. emotive end of takes to the stage for an to win a pair Bolton, just answer of tickets to see Puente Romanoseason night at Marbella’s on August 10, was Michael Bolton the question; what year pona is set for while EsteFor the Pink Purple born in? with mammothits biggest rock concert in years Zep Fest in Estepona, tell us; Where just answers to the was Jimmy Page born? Email newsdesk@theolivepr ess.es. WIN WIN WIN: Bolton

Doctors and dentists join Olive Press appeal for ban on dangerous painkiller Nolotil EXCLUS By Laurence IVE Dollimore

THE Olive Press is calling on Spain to ban a that is killing lethal painkiller countless of unsuspecting expats. British dentists

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are supportin and doctors g the ban after Briton Graham Ward, 75, complained to of how he was the Olive Press deadly Nolotil prescribed the one month to tist last week.drug by a denonly property knock down their same drug that It’s the very (pictured above). was blamed In a court order for killing his Dr Nina King, wife in 2006. seen by the Olive Press, The Marbellathe campaign of Oasis Dental Care in Marbella, the Wards are based expat warned they will was furious when fully supports she prescribes, telling the Olive Press the he was told nally responsibl be held crimidrug is not something to take the painkiller “It’s not a drug . e if they refuse. “I don’t know by his Spanish dentist, she said, “And I use, I stick to safe and standard more, I’m at what to do anying from a difficultafter suffermedication,” I won’t be usingafter seeing what damage abscess. tether” Gill toldthe end of my it can do, it’s His wife Mary, Marbella-based in the future.” the Olive Press, a drug 59, had died af“I’m totally exhausted ter being prescribed private doctor Almeda also agrees Dra. Victoria from the the same whole ordeal.” drug following María Chacón the drug is dangerous the drug,” she a double vasecThe retired pair, tomy at Costa tients and I am told the Olive Press, “I have. “I don’t prescribe spent thousands who have now “Within 24 del Sol Hospital. “There needs aware of what it is capable lots of British pagal costs, bought of euros on leto be a lot more of in intensive hours she was care, her white research on its doing. house ‘in ruins’ the old farmblood impact.” cell count plummete in 2004, and doctor to get were given permission to zero within days,” explainsd renewal in April,a from Velez-Malaga Graham, a former The dad-of-tw town hall to computer tests showed build it. retechnician, from later died fromo the HAPPIER TIMES: London. drug had caused But when the She never regained Graham with septic shock original wall colconscious- again. wife, and Billy a toxic poisoning lapsed of its own – ness and was believed to Smyth accord during in his bone marconstruction, be machine for on a life support “He said she Metamizole, linked to taking would FOUR months, she tect told themthe Wards’ archibefore spending hadn’t taken it, be alive if in the US, Nolotil is banned row and his white the Nolotil. it would be fine the UK, Ireland three years heard but I have and that he would fighting the and blood cell was most of Europe, from dozens Another impact of the and let the town dangerously low. of Brits hall know. Unfortuna Britbut it drug, which led ish expat Hugh to organ fail- it,” Irish who have been given scribed widely in Spain. is pre- Billy, tely for ure. added Graeme. a keen Irishman Wilcox was William Continues on sportsman, develpre“The chief surgeon It is the third ‘Billy’ Page 8 Smyth scribed was victim of the the same at the hos- drug the given a five-day oped sepsis pital promised course of the and medication Olive Press has drug in Febru- necrotising fascifor never prescribeme he would ported on in under re- ary. mild shoulder that drug Sometime a year. itis as a result But when the and pain s known also on the Costa 66-year-old re- required ‘radical as turned to del surgery’ to a different Spanish remove the affected He developed Sol. severe head tissue an attempt to save his life. in

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was launched in 2016, along with a 1,000-strong petition to have it regulated a year later. Nolotil, also known as Metamizole, is banned in the UK, the US and most of Europe. Despite this, the drug is still one of the most popular painkillers in Spain, despite various side effects, which can cause a rapid drop in white blood cells, leaving patients unable to fight infections. Medical translator, www.ibexinsu

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MUGGER murder A MOROCCAN mugger is facing murder charges after a victim died having been shoved to the ground in an attack in Manacor. The 28-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of robbing a house and four pedestrians in two separate incidents. In a two-day robbing spree last weekend, the suspect pushed four pedestrians to the ground, kicked them and rode off with their bags, wallets

Vol. 11 Issue 271

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A BRITISH expat couple are fighting to save their Malaga home from demolition over a technicality. Gill and Bob Ward, both 74, have been locked with their town in a battle claims their house hall, which in Almayate is illegal. Just yesterday the retired couple from Cornwall were given

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and valuables on a stolen bike. One victim, 61-year-old Maria Ruiz Sanchez, died in hospital the next day. She suffered severe injuries to her head and hip when she was shoved to the ground. Policia Nacional arrested the man and are currently investigating whether he has been connected to further recent crimes. The investigation continues.

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Screens Cristina Garcia del Campo, who has pulled together hundreds of case studies from victims for the AEMPS’ probe, said she was ‘very happy’ the authorities have finally reacted. Following the results of her rigorous investigation she has now demanded that the drug must not be sold without a prescription and a detailed patient analysis. “I am very happy that the problem has been dealt with,” she told the Olive Press. “I will be making sure that the AEMPS recommendations are carried out and if necessary make sure it’s banned completely.” The Olive Press began investigating after a trio of expat families told us how their relatives had died unnecessarily in excruciating pain, after taking the drug in Andalucia. In April, the paper revealed the first steps towards regulation had been taken, with Marina Salud, a big health network in Alicante, issuing a warning to stop administering the drug to British, Irish and Scandinavian patients. See our adverts

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Halloween crackdown POLICE have raided the rucksacks and goodie bags of more than 50 children and teenagers on Halloween. Officials in Ibiza confiscated bottles of vodka, 16 boxes of eggs and 400 firecrackers, which are illegal to sell to minors. Some 52 minors were searched in Sant Antoni as part of the routine Halloween check.

Bad grandpa POLICE have arrested a 71-year-old man for stealing valuables near the port of Ibiza. A shop owner reported the theft of an iPhone and a smartwatch. They were able to point out the nearby suspect when officers arrived at the scene. Agents found the stolen goods in the OAP’s possession and arrested him immediately.

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November 8th - November 21st 2018

Boots are made for talking QUEEN Letizia showed that boots are made for talking, not just walking, as she stole the show in a pair of black leather thigh-highs at a high-level pollution meeting in Geneva. The mother-of-two donned the sultry Adolfo Dominguez boots to attend the first World Health Organization (WHO) Conference on Air Pollution and Health, in Switzerland, where she met with the group’s Director General. Spain’s monarch was in attendance at the conference, which the WHO said would feature a 'Call for Urgent Action' to end the seven million annual deaths linked to air pollution by 2030.

Royal first SPAIN’S next heir to the throne Princess Leonor has delivered her first royal speech at just 13 years old. Daughter of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, the tiny princess gave her first public address last week, marking not only her birthday but also the 40th anniversary of the Spanish constitution. She paid homage by reading the first 169 articles of the country’s Magna Carta, signed by Spanish Parliament in 1978.

Smiling

Dressed in a blue collared dress and black patent Mary Jane shoes, the blonde teen read confidently and clearly while smiling at the audience, as mother Letizia and 11-year-old sister Princess Sofia applauded from the front row. It was a memorable day for King Felipe, who stood proudly next to his daughter, as he too gave his first public speech aged 13. Princess Leonor has been declared next in line for the Spanish throne and her first public address is a major step preparing her for the role.

Nice try, Joaquin NO FOOL: James McAvoy

By Elisa Menendez

BRITISH Hollywood star James McAvoy has warned holidaymakers after nearly falling for an €11,000 hotel scam in Spain. The Glaswegian X-Men actor was almost duped out of a whopping £10,000 when booking a family holiday at The Ritz Carlton Abama Hotel in Tenerife. In a video shared on social media app, Instagram, the 39-year-old warns off tourists from making the same mistake.

Actor James McAvoy warns off tourists on social media after nearly being duped in a Spanish hotel scam “Just avoided being scammed through a cyber scheme. They are The Ritz Abama Tenerife. Don’t use them, they nearly took 10 grand off me which is a tonne of money,” McAvoy says in the video. The Atonement actor jokes that the website was so convincing it looked even better than the real Ritz Carlton’s site, as he scrolls through a luxury ‘5-star’ hotel webpage with a

Dadn’t do it

PLAYER: Julio Iglesias

JULIO Iglesias has refused to take a DNA test that would prove he is the father of his ‘illegitimate’ son Javier Sanchez-Santos. The Latin legend has faced a paternity suit from Sanchez since 1992, when the 41-year-old love child first identified Iglesias, 75, as his father. After a Valencia court deemed a 99.99% DNA match between the men inadmissible, due to Iglesias’ DNA being obtained illegally, the Spanish crooner was then given 10 days to complete a genetic test. After the singer’s refusal Sanchez’s lawyer Fernando Osuna said he will ‘ask for the children and brothers’ of Iglesias to provide DNA, which may confirm the serial womaniser as the biological father. Were Sanchez identified as the singer’s son, he could get access to Iglesias’ €850 million fortune, and would join the musician’s eight other confirmed children.

blue serene cloud background. He goes on to explain how he had exchanged a number of emails with a man named ‘Joaquin’ who asked the star for the payment via bank transfer. “I just thought the deal seemed too good to be true,” he added, “I doubled checked it through a travel agent and it was a tenth of the price it should be. “Stay away. If you’ve been scammed by them, hit me up.” The father-of-one has captioned the post with comical hashtags, ‘Anne Robinson we need you’ and ‘Watchdog BBC material’. He has since alerted the real Ritz Carlton to the scam. McAvoy first rose to fame with his supporting role of faun Mr Tumnus in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, followed by an award-winning role in The Last King of Scotland. The actor’s latest movie, Glass - the sequel to the harrowing Split - is set to be released January 18, starring Bruce Willis, Samuel L Jackson and Sarah Paulson.

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Woah, Lipa! WOMEN have stolen the show at this year’s MTV EMA awards held in Spain. Bilbao was taken over by music’s biggest stars for the 25th ceremony on Sunday. Londoner Dua Lipa took home Best Pop act and donned a short floral dress which showed off her legs. Janet Jackson, Camila Cabello and female rap-

pers Nicki Minaj and Cardi B, took home the other biggest accolades at the hotly-anticipated event, held at the Bilbao Exhibition Centre. But it was Janet Jackson who had people talking, not only for her jawdropping performance and winning the Global Icon Award, but for her empowering speech honouring the ‘Me Too’ movement.

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4 POLLENSA, sa Pobla, Alcudia and Manacor have FINALLY been declared disaster zones following the flash flooding in October. The Balearic Government said the four areas in particular justify aid from Madrid, with the exact amount of damage yet to be totalled. The cash injection will go towards damages in housing and personal property while compensating businesses including retail shops, fishing and maritime companies, and tourism businesses.

Torrential

The torrential rains destroyed homes, roads, farms and historic buildings. Emergency services rescued 60 people who were trapped on rooftops and cars by the flooding. The delegate for the Spanish central government in Palma, Rosario Sanchez, thanked the national government for stepping in. "This shows the attention Madrid is giving to the Balearic Islands,” she said, “We all hope to alleviate, as soon as possible and as broadly as possible, the effects of the

November 8th - November 21st 2018

Official disaster Millions of euros to come from Madrid in flood compensation and cleanup costs

Washed away A FRENCH tourist on holiday with her husband has been tragically swept out to sea in Portocolom. The woman,45, was exploring coves and rocky areas with her partner on October 31 when a huge wave dragged her out to sea and quickly disappeared. Divers have spent the following days searching the waters through the storms and bad weather for the woman with no signs of her as of yet. The search still continues over a week later.

Simply the best WORK: Underway at flood sites floods and to help all those affected.” During the floods, part of the

Costly cleanup MORE than €25 million will be invested into the reconstruction of Arta and Sant Llorenç’s water channels. The channels will be cleaned, drained and the walls restored after the floods on October 9. Having torrents full of garbage and plants can produce a fire risk and pollute the sea. The budget will also fund technicians to ensure each channel is rebuilt to withstand heavy rains and protect surrounding buildings.

road between Artá and Colónia de Sant Pere was completely destroyed. The Consell de Mallorca, Balearic Government and the Army have agreed to place a temporary emergency military bridge over the damage while repair works continue. Areas of Malaga, Sevilla, Cadiz, Valencia, Castellón, Tarragona and Teruel have all recently been hit by severe weather and flooding, falling into the same category and receiving emergency funding from the government.

MORE than two million foreign tourists visited the Balearic Islands in September, more than anywhere else in Spain with almost a quarter of all tourists coming from abroad. Holidaymakers from the UK made up the largest number of tourists – over 20% of September's guests. From January to September, over 12 million foreign tourists came to the islands, second only to Catalunya which saw 15.4 million tourists. UK visitors again made up the highest percentages at around 20% for the first nine months of this year, with Germany and France rounding out the top three.

THE paper not to miss on Mallorca island THE Olive Press is now distributing all over the island in an incredible 500-plus locations. Found at golf courses, tourist offices, museums and petrol stations, it has become the most sought-after English newspaper in MalAlaro Alcanada Alcanada Alcudia ALGAIDA Andratx Andratx BENDINAT BENDINAT BENDINAT Binissalem Cala Estancia Cala D’or Cala D’or

Acros Bar Alcanada Golf Spar Tourist Information EROSKI Tourist Information CCA Andratx CAN NATURA EROSKI GOLF Eroski Aqua Restaurant Yacht Club Eroski

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lorca every fortnight. Look out for one of our many stands, as seen here at Santa Catalina market, in Palma, and in Andratx town centre. We print between 8,000 - 10,000 copies every issue and take our distribution very seriously, CALVIA CALVIA Cala Llamp CAMP DE MAR CAMPOS CAN PASTILLA CAN PASTILLA CAN PASTILLA Can Picafort COSTA DE LA CALMA Costa den Blanes Costa den Blanes Deia Deía EL TORO ES CAPDELLA Esporle Festival Park Inca Inca Llucmajor MAGALLUF Maioris Manacor Manacor PAGUERA PAGUERA PALMA PALMA PALMA PALMA PALMA

and need you, the readers to keep us informed of numbers... and more importantly if each location needs more or less papers. We also want to know where you would like to see it and where you don't think we should

bother. Here are a select group of a few dozen key drops. Please get in touch at Newsdesk@theolivepress.es to find your nearest drop or suggest another.

ROSITA RESTAURANT TOWN HALL Gran Folies Golf De Andratx HIPER CENTRO SPAR EROSKI AQUARIUM Ponderosa Beach Bar THE GLASGOW SUNDOWNERS MOODS Robert Graves Museum Forn Deía SPAR BAR NOU Spar Tourist Info Office Barretts Hipercentro EROSKI EASY TO FIND: In Andratx street and (right) on the bar at Cappuccino, in Portals Golf Club Pontiene PALMA NOVA Eroski Port Alcudia Lidl Maioris Gof Club PALMA NOVA CAPPUCCINO Port Andratx Cepsa Garage Lidl PALMA NOVA GOLF FANTASIA Port Andratx Cappuccino Bar Mingos PALMA NOVA EROSKI Port Alcudia Eroski VILAMIL HOTEL PALMANOVA Palmanova Gardens Port Pollensa Cappuccino TOURIST INFORMATION PALMANOVA Cappuccino Port Pollensa The Stay BOATHOUSE Palmanyola Son Termens Golf Port Soller Hotel Jumeirah Santa Catalina market Pollensa Pollensa Golf PORTALS NOUS NICE PRICE Cappuccino San Miguel Eroski Portixol Portixol Hotel Cappuccino Passeo Maritimo Pollensa PORT ADRIANO Sansibar PUERTOPORTALS Capurccino Cappuccino Bourne

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November 8th - November 21st 2018

Crucial conservation park will close if government fails to pay back almost €1 million MALLORCA’S Natura Parc is in danger of shutting down after racking up tens of thousands of euros in debt - despite being owed a whopping €800,000 by the Balearic government. The zoo and conservation foundation, which owes its suppliers €60,000, has asked the government to pay back what it owes. Natura Parc has been a zoo for 20 years, and regularly takes in animals from town halls, but most of its invoices to the government - specifically the Ministry of Justice - have gone unpaid. “It is incredible that it is the Ministry of Justice which owes €800,000 to the foundation, while forcing it take in all its animals,” said Marratxi mayor Joan Francesc Canyelles. The foundation was started as a nonprofit 17 years ago and carries out conservation programs, research studies, and the breeding of protected animal and plant species. “During these years this Foundation has signed agreements and contracts with 47 municipalities across the is-

CONTROVERSIAL: Scooters

Scooter row POLICE have seized 20 electric scooters just days after they were introduced in Palma. Wind, an app which allows users to rent scooters around the city, said it tried to meet with the town hall for three weeks before deciding to plant the vehicles in the capital without permission. “What we want is to collaborate with the City Council,” said Mallorca based Wind representative Gerard Sellares, “We are not going to flood Palma with scooters overnight.” Unlike schemes involving shared bicycles that typically must be left in docking stations, the scooters are dockless, leaving riders responsible for parking them.

Divided

The next rider can find the nearest scooter with a smartphone app, unlock it and use it for a fee. They have divided opinion in cities like Madrid, with drivers and pedestrians calling them a menace while others say they are a greener travel alternative. Palma town hall claimed it tried to contact Wind before ordering Policia Local to remove the scooters, but said the company did not respond. The city claims that public roads and paths cannot be occupied for commercial uses, including renting out scooters. Sellarés said he is expecting a meeting on the fate of the app ‘soon’. In his opinion the scooters do not violate any city ordinance and the Ministry of Traffic does not categorise the narrow scooters as vehicles. Wind is now looking for hotels and businesses to collaborate with on the parking issues.

lands in order to carry out a service that had to previously be carried out by town hall staff,” said Neus Serra, president of Marratxi’s Independent coalition, El PI. The contracts with the town hall mean the foundation is in charge of capturing and controlling wild animals and loose pets. The foundation also takes care of all

injured wild animals, treats them and releases them back into the wild when possible – a responsibility previously held by local governments. The Ministry of Justice has a similar contract with the foundation, stating that when the government seizes animals, Natura Parc will care for them. The government gives the sanctuary

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horses, turtles, dogs, birds, livestock and a number of animals and species to take care of. Many of the animals have been illegally owned or saved from abuse or abandonment. Town halls have expressed concern over the possibility of Natura Parc shutting down given the financial burden of taking over its responsibilities.

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The Olive Press – 250 x 200mm (Junior Page)

7 November

FEATURE

www.theolivepress.es Mallorca’s original community newspaper

A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in Spain with an estimated readership, including the websites, of more than 500,000 people a month.

OPINION About time AFTER countless families lost loved ones to painkiller Nolotil, finally Spain has regulated it. Victims have had fingers amputated, been kept in glass-walled solitary confinement and suffered horrific illnesses after taking it. Their voices have now been heard. In an incredible act of community, Cristina Garcia del Campo and expats in Andalucia have rallied together to make the Spanish authorities listen. The Olive Press would like to say a huge thank you to Cristina for all her hard work and the countless readers who bravely contacted us to tell their Nolotil stories, which helped us to raise awareness. We are sure many lives have already been saved with the new regulation. Let’s hope this will be the end of unnecessary suffering for tourists and expats.

Not cool! Not everyone in Madrid’s Lavapies appreciated the neighbourhood being labelled the ‘coolest in the world’, discovers Heather Galloway

HE urban bible Time Out may have felt it was doing the Madrid barrio of Lavapiés a favour last month when naming it the coolest hood in the world, but for the majority of its longterm residents, it was anything but. “What’s happening is not at all cool,” says a member of cultural centre, Tabacalera’s Promoción del Arte team who prefers to remain anonymous. “These kinds of labels do a lot of harm. Flagging it up as trendy means that rents go up and there’s an increased police presence as well as an increase in racism because social classes become polarized. It has pretty negative repercussions.” Another from a recycling art collective at Tabacalera’s social space next door went further. “This is exactly the kind of thing that is ruining the barrio. I don’t even know who voted. I OMNIPRINT S.A. mean, who said FACTURA that? ItNº:2018050290 just depersonalizes PARCELA 35, POL.IND.SON LLAUD FECHA: 25.10.2018 the barrio. It’s capitalism run riot.” 07320 SANTA MARIA DEL CAMI (BALEARES Página: 1 / 1 Since it first came into being in the 15th Tel: 971621610 century, Lavapiés has been considered OMNIPRINT S.A. FACTURA Nº:2018050290 PARCELA 35, POL.IND.SON LLAUD FECHA: 25.10.2018 by those on the ‘right’ side of the city as a 07320 SANTA MARIA DEL CAMI (BALEARES Página: 1 / 1 Tel: 971621610 seedy, no-go area, with its steeply inclined DIRECCION DE ENVIO: streets, poverty and distinction as home to the city’s densest immigrant population LUKE STEWART LUKE STEWART MEDIA, S.L. DIRECCION MEDIA, DE ENVIO:S.L. – once from elsewhere in Spain and more C/ Espinosa 1, 1ª Planta Edificio El Duque, Ctra.340 Att.Dpto.Contabilidad LUKE STEWART MEDIA, S.L. LUKE STEWART MEDIA, S.L. km144,5 Att.Dpto.Contabilidad C/ Espinosa 1, 1ª Planta El Duque, recently fromEdificio Senegal toCtra.340 Shanghai and evC/ Espinosa 1, 1ª Planta Edificio El Duque, Ctra.340 km144,5 C/ Espinosa 1, 1ª(MÁLAGA) Planta Edificio El Duque, Ctra.340 29692 SABINILLAS km144,5 erywhere in between. 29692 SABINILLAS (MÁLAGA) km144,5 España 29692 SABINILLAS (MÁLAGA) España 29692 SABINILLAS (MÁLAGA) In 2004, it made headlines as the center of CIF/NIF: B91664029 CIF/NIF: España B91664029 España Cod. Cliente: 100563 Cod. Cliente: 100563 operations for the 11/M bombers who met in La Alhambra restaurant and used phones Fecha Concepto Cantidad Precio Importe %IVA to trigger the multiple explosions from Jamal 25.10.2018 THE OLIVE PRESS 1 1.414,25 1.414,25 21,00% IMPRESIÓN OCTUBRE Fecha Concepto CantidadZougam’s Preciophone shop Importe %IVA Tribulete. It on Calle nº40 de 7.000 ejs a 32 pags todo color. 25.10.2018 THE OLIVE PRESS 1 was, 1.414,25 then, touted as1.414,25 a hotbed21,00% of Islamic terIMPRESIÓN OCTUBRE En papel de 60grs. Alto 37cms rorism, an image that has been convenientnº40 de 7.000 ejs a 32 pags todo color. ly relegated to history. Curiously, there was a Muslim community En papel de 60grs. Alto 37cms here in medieval times. Situated just outside the city walls, it was a refuge for Jewish and Muslim converts and it is thought the As a free title, area was called Lavapies – wash feet – on circulations are unaccount of the cleansing rituals in the local able to be audited as they fountain of people coming in and out of the are back in the UK...and to neighborhood. Suma Importes 1.414,25EUR ensure complete transparency for both our By the 18th century, Lavapies had bereaders and advertisers, the Olive Press is Desglose IVA come strongly working class with the now publishing it’s print ForCuota furBasebill Impon. here. Tipo Tabacalera cigarette factory providing ther information, please contact admin@ around 6,000 women and 300 men with theolivepress.es and of course the printer jobs while the corralas peculiar to the himself, if you so wishTOTAL EUROS: 25.10.2018 1.711,24 area provided much of the accommodaTransferencia Suma Importes 1.414,25EUR CCC: 00810221-19-0001350740 tion. Gradually, families migrating to the IBAN: ES8500810221190001350740 BIC SWIFT: BSABESBBXXX city from other parts of Spain laid the Publisher/ Editor Jon Clarke foundations for IVA the multi-cultural buzz Desglose jon@theolivepress.es Base Impon. Tipo the area. Cuota At the same associated with 1.414,25 21,00% 296,99 time Lavapies became synonymous with 1.414,25 296,99 the term castizo, used to describe the sales Newsdesk Charles Bamber essence of hailing from Madrid. But neinewsdesk@theolivepress.es (+34) 661 452 180 Tel: (+34) 665 798 618 ther of these attributes were considered Vto: 25.10.2018 TOTAL EUROS: 1.711,24 charles@theoliverpress.es at the time to be particularly desirable. Forma Pago: Transferencia Gillian Keller Datos Banco: CCC: 00810221-19-0001350740 According to Arturo Barea,the author of IBAN: ES8500810221190001350740 gillian@theolivepress.es The Forging of A Rebel trilogy, who lived Admin BIC SWIFT: BSABESBBXXX Beatriz Sanllehí with his mother, a laundress, in the hood (+34) 951 273 575 between 1905 and 1914, “At that time, Laurence Dollimore admin@theolivepress.es OMNIPRINT S.A. INSCRITA EN EL REG. MERC. DE MALLORCA, Nº 3, TOMO 1783, FOLIO 206, SECCION 8, HOJA 1ª . CIF:of Madrid. It Lavapiés wasPM-36685, theINSCRIPCIÓN frontier laurence@theolivepress.es A57039224 was where the city and the world ended Office manager (…). People had christened the limits of Héctor Santaella Elisa Menendez the barrio, The Americas and The New (+34) 658 750 424 elisa@theolivepress.es World. It was, without doubt, another accounts@theolivepress.es world. Civilization and the city reached as far as that. And that was where they Distribution Pablo Balbontin Graham Warters both ended.” pablo@theolivepress.es Barea talks of open sewers, smoke belching distribution@theolivepress.es from factories and blackened putrid streets and the smell of mule dung rising from the Head office central patios of the corralas, all of which Carretera Nacional 340, km 144.5 Calle Espinosa 1 earned it the moniker, Barrio de los Injurias, Edificio centro comercial El Duque, planta primera, 29692 meaning the Neighborhood of Insults. San Luis de Sabinilla, Manilva Recently, however, its castizo and ethnic credentials have elevated it to an altogether Depòsito Legal PM: 610-2017

The facts never lie!

1.414,25

21,00%

1.414,25

Vto:

Forma Pago:

Datos Banco:

OMNIPRINT S.A. INSCRITA EN EL REG. MERC. DE MALLORCA, Nº 3, TOMO 1783, FOLIO 206, SECCION 8, HOJA PM-36685, INSCRIPCIÓN 1ª . CIF: A57039224

296,99

November 8th - November 21st 2018

Left and above...Night time in Lavapiés at the corner of Calle Argumosa and Doctor Fourquet different realm. When Time Out not only con- ment of old residential buildings – subsidies firmed that it was shedding it down-at-heel that according to Manolo were exploited by image but declared it the champion of cool, investors. Prices doubled and doubled again, its residents, 56% of whom voted for Podem- and having recovered from the downturn os-citizen platform Ahora Madrid, were in- during the economic crisis, they have now censed afresh. caught up with the Palacio area and MalaIt’s not hard to understand their stance. Being saña. According to idealista, Lavapiés now elevated to the world’s coolest area according has the fifth most expensive rents in the cento Time Out’s criteria of ‘affordability’, ‘cool ter, trumping areas such as Chamberi and new venues opening’ and a multi-cultural Moncloa. So will its new status as the very buzz – ‘This is where people from near and essence of urban cool accelerate its rise? far live side by side, cooking up a bustling cul- According to Manolo, one way this could be tural life’ – inevitably kills the goose that lays averted is reintroducing five-year term rent the golden egg. Tourists flood in along with the contracts – one of the proposals in the 2019 well-heeled and the immigrant, artistic and budget signed this month by Pablo Iglesias and activist communities responsible for the la- incumbent Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. bel find themselves squeezed out. Those who What comes to mind as I stroll up and down originally lent it an air of street streets where the mother of credibility and authenticity are Barea, once carried laundry forced south to barrios such as from the other side of the diCarabanchel and Puente de vide to the River Manzanares, If this goes on Vallecas. According to Manolo is the old adage about the Osuna from the Neighbours’ sow’s ear and the silk purse. we will be the Association La Corrala LatinaHowever much real estate Rastro-Lavapiés who has lived victim of our own investment companies such in the barrio for 50 years, “I as EnfoKamight want to turn success like the label and I don’t like Lavapiés into the next Notting it. On the one hand, it makes Hill, there is some way to go me proud because for so long before they meet their goal. nobody wanted to come here. Despite the presence of the It was considered dangerous and there were Centro Dramático Nacional, the University no young people. It was thanks to the immi- Library in the ruins of the Iglesia de las Esgrant population that there was any life at all. cuelas and hip watering holes such as SaOn the other hand, I don’t like it, because it laEquis mentioned in the Time Out report or brings more tourists and turns it into a theme La Playa de Lavapiés and La Libre on Calle park. I once knew 90% of my neighbours, now Argumosa,this is still a corner of Madrid I barely know 10%. If this goes on we will be where drunks feel at home and dog ownthe victim of our own success.” ers turn a blind eye when their pets do their Echoing Manolo’s words is HAPS, a mem- business on the pavement. It is also an area ber of Fisidici cooperative, which has a sign where migrants sleep ten to a room in shifts outside its bicycle repair shop that says ‘La- and activism and Podemos thrive. And while vapiés no se vende’. Commenting on the tourists might gravitate to Airbnbs here, the groups of perplexed tourists on guided walk- city’s mayor Manuela Carmena hopes to abouts through the area, HAPS says, “We’re curb this particular trend with El Plan Espeturning into a zoo! A recreational barrio, not cial de Usos del Hospedaje that is set to wipe somewhere that people work and live. The out around 95% of this kind of tourist accomsolution has to be both political and local. modation in the city center. Those of us who live here have to put up a She does, however, have something of a fight.” battle on her hands. According to Housy, an Since 2010, the immigrant population has agency which manages Airbnbs, more flats dropped from 33 % to 22.6%. The exodus than ever are being refurbished in the area was kicked started by the urban plan of for tourist lets with little sign of a slowdown 1997 that subsidized an enforced refurbish- in response to the measure. It seems sad but almost inevitable that neighborhoods like Lavapiés, so long considered beyond the pale, are now subjected to a different kind of ‘Injuria’ – or insult. Raw and colourful, the barrio is cool precisely because the communities here don’t care about being ‘cool’ in the Time Out sense of the word. Ironically, as prices go up, these communities will leave and take their ‘coolness’ with them. Consequently, Lavapies will be reduced to just another overpriced shell and those seeking to capitalize on the elusive cool factor will be chasing the very Tourists get a tour of the barrio– advertised people they priced out of their homes south of the river. on Trip Advisor for €43

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CAMPAIGNERS remain sceptical over new plans to improve the lives of Mijas’ famous donkeys. It comes after the town issued proposals to bring in weight limits for riders, while ensuring the donkeys are free of injury and are wearing proper saddles. Under the plan stables must also be up to humane standards and donkeys must not be overworked.the "We have to move with the times," said mayor Juan Carlos Maldonado. "We are going to improve the quality of life of the donkeys which, in turn, contributes to the local economy"

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The mayor added: "The donkey taxi is one of our major tourist attractions and we have to combine with the welfare of our animals.” this However, campaigners warn that the laws, pulled together with local associations, could be simply ‘empty promises’, particularly with elections coming up next year. Campaigner Mike Frizell, from Mijas Pueblo Animal Cruelty, warned that such new laws were meant to be introduced several times in the past years. “We have seen the lies from the mayor over and over again,” Frizell told the Olive Press.

TRAPPED: A car driver desperately tries to escape the deluge that swept dozens of cars out to sea and left hundreds homeless

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tres per metre square of rainfall in just 12 hours. Estepona and the towns near Antequera were particularly hard hit, while the A-92 motorway was shut and a fireman was swept to his death in Campillos. The damage is still being assessed - expected to run into the tens of millions - with insurance companies’ phones ringing off the hook. As well as substantial damage to roads and buildings, a wall of the historic Arabic baths in Ronda collapsed. At least 400 vehicles were also destroyed.

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HE Spanish weather term ‘Gota Fria’ *Offer ends 30/11/18. Not valid for renewals. to conditions. will have been etched in theSubjectmemories of many an expat following the devastating floods in Andalucia, Mallorca and Valencia last month. But the ‘cold drop’, as its known in English, is all too familiar for seasoned locals. Valencia, for example, suffered severe flooding in 1957, 81 citizens lost their lives, and after extensive works the Rio Turia was diverted around the city. The river was not to blame for overflowing its banks, it had taken its natural course for millions of years but along came humans who decided to inhabit a location more suitable for a sea port. In the 20th century other ample warnings about potential urban flooding were ignored, particularly in the likes of Campillos in inland Malaga. In last month’s torrent, a relatively new housing urbanization was flooded there, as was the town centre. The urbanization is located on a known flood plain drained by a small ditch with a slight gradient for four kilometres - just one example of house and commercial construction choosing the wrong place. ‘It’s global warming that caused the Gota Fria’ has been heard too often the past week. Perhaps, but there is no scientific evidence about the certainty of that link even if there is much evidence elsewhere on the planet. There are research papers published indicating that the Mediterranean sea has been changing in temperature at various depths and salinity over decades, and the commonly-shared hypothesis is that the western region of the sea and the local land masses of Spain and north Africa might experience higher annual mean temperatures, and in the autumn suffer more frequent and intense storms. But with rising temperatures, it’s likely that both seasons will experience more extreme outcomes. Cursory study of meteorological and hydrological research in Andalucia suggests October is the most likely month for the retained warm moist air above the western Mediterranean to suddenly meet the cold air masses Ave de Gabriel Roca 4, Palma

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HE Costa del Sol demand in Spanish and Barcelona are driving up Data from Spain’s property. Instituto Nacional ca shows de Estadistithe Instituto Nacional grew 6.8% in the that, on an annualised basis, house de Estadistica (INE). second quarter of prices Analysts suggest price tags rising 5.7% 2018 with new-build is being driven by a good portion of the recovery in housing However some areas (see report page IV). foreigners buying Sol and in cities like are clearly picking homes on the Costa slack than others, del with Catalunya rising up more of the It comes And despite Brexit, Barcelona. by just 0.7%. as the country is 3.7% while Galicia buyers are British, the largest number of foreign continuing growth after being The data is the latest homefollowed by the French, among the worst impressive economic gians, Italians confirmation of Germans, Beldemand for Spanish hit countries by the and a trend of strong 2008 crisis. property. The outlook for Swedes. In 2017, the total Spain’s housing market remains upbeat, 14.6% to 464,423 number of home sales in Spain increased with house sales expected to units from the previous rise by year, according to to reach about 550,000 transactions between 10% and 15% TINSA, the country’s this year, according official valuation and to surveying body.

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NEARLY two dozen pink rubbish bins have been scattered around Palma to raise awareness for breast cancer. For every kilo of glass collected from the 20 pink glass recycling bins, Ecovidrio will donate €1 to breast cancer research through the Sandra Ibarra foundation. Ecovidrio is the nonprofit company responsible for recycling Spain's glass waste. Palma joins cities, including Barcelona and Sevilla, which are raising awareness and funds with over 250 pink bins nationwide.

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THE leader of the opposition will not be investigated over allegations his master’s degree was falsely obtained. The Supreme Court will not probe PP boss Pablo Casado (below) after he admitted that Madrid’s Rey Juan Carlos university waived 18 out of 22 of his regional law assignments. While he admitted it was ‘favourable treatment,’ he insisted it did not to amount criminal activity. The court agreed. The PP party has now, for PSOE called in turn, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to resign over claims his doctoral thesis was part written by someone else. Two ministers, Cristina Cifuentes and Health Minister Carmen Montón, have already resigned over degree scandals this year.

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SOME 14 fire bosses have been arrested for allegedly embezzling €7 million in public funds. The Policia Nacional found that the Consortium of Bomberos Cadiz took out mass early retirement insurance policies. But when their employees retired early, chiefs siphoned off the money from the payouts. Authorities also found discrepancies in the consortium’s training courses. Large sums were paid to a company to provide training courses, but no evidence has been found that these courses took place. Meanwhile, irregularities were also found in grants and subsidies, which cops believe were used to pay for private trips. The irregularities date back to 2008 and cops believe at least €7 million has been stolen by those at the top.

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FRUIT growers in the Axarquia are facing a 60% reduction in water use from the La Vinuela reservoir with no solution in sight. The Junta has decided to limit its use as the reservoir is already at 22.7% capacity and could drop even lower if the dry weather keeps up.

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Costa del Sol hotel has three months to fight decision before it is demolished A HOTEL is to be knocked down for not having enough class! Benalmadena’s Hotel Vista de Rey must be demolished within three months, a court has ruled, Andalucia’s Superior Court of Justice ruled that the hotel falls short of its four-star requirement.

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than permitted. Although the town hall and developer maintain this excess was later corrected, the judge ruled that the rectification would have taken place after the granting of the licence, so does not count. The building has 61 apartments and 46 parking spaces. The original building was granted planning permission by then mayor Enrique

Bolin in 2001.

SMUGGLERS’ WALL

POLICE officers have formed a human wall along a beach in La Linea to ensure construction of a beach wall went that the The wall, between the church ahead. of Nuestra Senora del Carmen and the perimeter wall of the fishing port of La Atunara, hopes to

deter drug smugglers from using the beach as a drop off zone. A combined police presence of Guardia Civil, local and national officers were fears grew that drug smugglers present as would try and disrupt the work.

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He even got himself a financial known radio station, through whichadvice slot on a well he snared unsuspecting victims. However, a comprehensive Olive Press investigation exposed his scams that involved stamps, coins and gold. We also revealed how he and his close pal Barry Nathan wined and dined up to a dozen criminals, anonymously, through the food column. He eventually fled the country but we soon tracked him down to following our expose, changed his name by deed poll andthe UK, where he had was selling coins and antiques on eBay from a small Berkshire cottage. He was quickly found guilty under English law of conning people and given a suspended prison sentence only due to health reasons. “And because he promised to go back to his online cons,” one never of the British victim explained. But this is apparently not the case two victims claiming he is still with using eBay to sell ‘dodgy’ coins and stamps from his unpaid flat in Brighton, using the names ‘gqtrading’ and ‘gqtrading2’. “We are pretty sure he has broken his bail conditions and will have to finally go back to prison,” said one victim. “The nerve of this man is unbelievable.” His landlord last night insisted something was up from the start. he should have known “When we met to sign the contracts slippery, I went to pay for my coffee I thought he was a bit tell me he had left without paying only for the barista to his bill.” He continued: “He paid for the first couple of months but then just stopped. He told us his account had been frozen due to a money laundering investigation, which is probably true. “He then told us to stop contacting him and accused us of harrassment. “Now he is claiming he is seriously ill and can’t work to make payments. “We’ll see him in court.”

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- REVEALED: How 13 mafias from Brits to Russians are ruling Spain’s Costa del Sol (15,682) - Tornado smashes Menorca leaving 38,000 residents without power while two people missing in northern Spain (13,132)

24/11/2017 11:18

Heavy rainfall is not a recent phenomenon, but the sea warming and building in the wrong places is adding to the recent flooding problems, writes Harry Ward

descending from the north - producing the and a swimming pool close. Those involved, buyers and presenters, Gota Fria. The greatest tragedy of the recent cold drop are not expected to research rainfall data, in Andalucia was the death of Campillos fire- the size of catchment areas, the volume man Jose Gil returning home in a fire truck of water run-off descending to natural floodplains and through gorges and valwhich was hit by a flash flood. Better drainage south of the town could not leys but perhaps now some effort should have spared his life but from now onwards be made. In the Ronda region, with a lomany local mayors will be expecting Madrid cal rainfall catchment area of over 280 to back up verbally-expressed condolences square kilometres and a single river outlet with financed improvements in drainage, passing through villages such as Benaojan and Cortes de la Frontera, the probability sewage disposal and road maintenance. The central government has had intentions of high water levels occurring repeatedly to upgrade the railway between Bobadilla is not rocket science. As a rough estimate and Algeciras since 2008. Promises, prom- some 630 million cubic metres of water ises, and the huge collapse passed down that valley in 24 hours during of the track over an arroyo the recent floods. west of Bobadilla (see pic- The human insistence that ‘something must ture) serves testimony to be done’ is not only expressed in present the fragility of a railway con- desperation but also with memories of past structed in the 19th century flooding. and little improved in sec- Although financial budgets are limited, as always, that’s little excuse in a region so tions until recently. Luckily no passenger or heavily dependent on farming, tourism and freight train was passing property ownership of those who pay council tax and spend money locally. when the emIn some defence of the aubankment was washed Property buyers thorities, they cannot be expected to shelter totally those away, a tragare advised to who built or purchased propedy that would have inspect the local erties on natural flood plains and in steep narrow valleys, b e c o m e front-page terrain for signs and they should not construct drainage channels, which news across Europe. It of soil saturation release upland waters and cause increased flooding at was a freak lower levels. torrent of water understandably not The Madrid government cannot anticipate foreseen in magnitude, and further large infrastructure funding from ADIF does its best to main- the European Commission. Without future tain Spanish high-speed UK contributions to the Commission budget and conventional routes something will have to give and there will be with technical know-how reduced giving to Spain and other member better than most equivalent states. Priorities concerning autonomous rerail network authorities in gion funding will concentrate minds wonderthe world, but government fully in Madrid. funding for ADIF seems pe- Potential property buyers are advised to culiarly limited in some re- inspect the local terrain and vegetation for signs of more than brief soil saturation. Veggions. It is possible to be cynical etation debris in rivers indicates previous when viewing television rapidly flowing water, and stones in clumps programmes such as A near streams where they are not placed by Place in the Sun and hear- the usual forces of nature. ing prospective searchers of It’s pretty simple to Google the recent local property on the costas and weather patterns recorded by the excellent inland express ‘Wow!’ at the Spanish government and university research sight of the sea or a moun- institutes. tain landscape when they We have been heavily showered upon and RAW POWER: Floodwater cut through road in Mallorca stand on a sunlit terrace warned.

- Man slaughtered while he sipped beer and ate sushi on Spain’s Costa del Sol was Dutch narco and expert bombmaker (12,682)

- Teen who threw himself from Marbella El Corte Ingles had announced suicide pact plans on social media (7,734)

- WATCH: First snow of the year in Spain’s Malaga as temperature drop continues (7,013)

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MILLION MONTH BONANZA The Olive Press received close to one MILLION hits in October, making it one of our best months in the history of the paper. More than 600,000 people came online to read the latest and breaking news from Andalucia and Spain, bringing more than 865,000 hits. It is a sign of the times as our website continues to grow and leave our competitors in the dust. See the month’s biggest stories below...

- Two BOMBS explode in Marbella and Benahavis as drug mafia wars reach new heights (27,803)

- RED ALERT: Highest warning issued for Spain’s Costa del Sol while third death announced in Mallorca (25,174)

- IN VIDEOS: British expats and tourists describe ‘terrifying’ floods on Spain’s Costa del Sol as areas continue to be battered by deluge (19,321)

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NEWS

November 8th - November 21st 2018

LA CULTURA

NEWS

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AN autumnal fair showcasing some of Pollensa’s best local produce is set to take over the town this weekend. La Fira, Pollensa’s annual festival will kick off on Friday November 9 with street food stands, arts and crafts, live music and a series of activities. Known for focusing on local produce and popular Mallorquin traditions, the annual event is expected to draw in hundreds over the three days of festivities. The northern town will host a gardening workshop and book readings on Friday, followed by a bustling beer festival packed with food trucks at 9:30pm.

Jumping

Saturday morning will welcome an art and garden exhibition in Placa Major and Placa de l’Almoina, followed by a handmade beer-making workshop. Tastings and tutorials of local pastries, breads and desserts will be held throughout Pollensa, while circus shows and street performers will be jumping out of every corner. A live performance by the Caribbean Kings will be held at the cloister of Santo Domingo. On the final day, Sunday, the streets will come alive with numerous parades, a livestock fair, exhibitions and tastings of local bakery delights. There will be a family friendly dog show at the finca de la Vinyeta at 11am, followed by more beer festival fun starting at 11.30am with live concerts and performances throughout the town.

November 8th - November 21st 2018

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AN artist has defaced General Franco’s grave with a dove in blood red paint at the Valley of the Fallen near Madrid. A video of the protest shows the artist Enrique Terneiro daubing the grave of Spain’s former dictator in red paint. The Guardia Civil arrested the Galician artist and are investigating him for criminal damage. As the 49-year-old artist from Coruña was being dragged away by security he was heard shouting ‘For the reconciliation of all the Spaniards!’

Terneiro’s act was filmed by fellow activist Pedro Armestre, who claimed the paint was supposed to represent a ‘dove of peace’ on the grave of Francisco Franco. Armestre said: “I do not intend to harm the family or their followers, what I want is a space of freedom.” The protest was sparked by growing tension surrounding the planned exhumation of the remains of General Franco from the Valley of the Fallen by Pedro Sanchez’s Socialist (PSOE) government.

Humble pie

Spain is the most humble country in Europe with just one in five Spaniards regarding their culture as better than others DESPITE Picasso, Dali and Cervantes all hailing from Spain, locals don’t think their culture is superior to others, a new poll has found. In fact Spaniards have the lowest ‘cultural arrogance’ rate in Europe, with only one in five regarding their traditions and artistic exports as superior to others. Carried out by the Pew Research Centre between 2015 and 2017, the study found just 20% of Spaniards supported the statement: “Our people are not perfect, but our culture is superior to others.” With restaurants annually featuring in the world’s best restaurants list, the works of Picasso hanging in prestigious museums worldwide and deeprooted arts such as flamenco offering a colourful culture, many non-Spaniards may be left scratching their heads at the results. In fact, travellers, critics

and expats alike consider it to have one of the most rich cultures in the world. While the poll of some 56,000 people in 34 European countries saw Spain come out as the most humble country in Europe, Greece came out as the least with a whopping 89% of respondents supporting the statement. Unsurprisingly for Brexiteers, 46% of UK respondents had higher ‘patriotic chauvinism’, while neighbouring Portugal’s rate was 47%. Spain was also found to be one of the most tolerant countries towards Muslims - perhaps due to the country’s Moorish roots - with three quarters of Spaniards willing to accept them into the family. The country also has one of the most positive stances on gay marriage in the continent, with 77% of Spaniards saying they favour or strongly favour it. The country was the fourth in the world to legalise same-sex marriage in 2005.

Mural magic

COLOURFUL: One of several new murals

ALCUDIA’S unsightly electricity hubs have been given a vibrant cultural makeover. The five energy-generating buildings have been revamped with huge street art murals of sailing boats, bustling Mallorquin streets and underwater sea life. Dotted around the town, the murals have been commissioned by the city council in a bid to inject some colour in Alcudia. Four local artists were chosen to create the works, which were proudly revealed to the town by mayor Antoni Mir. The murals can be found on Avenida Tucán, Calle Jaume II, Calle Agustí Arguelles, the school s’Estol del Rei en Jaume and another at Cas Vicari.

November 8th - November 21st 2018

Painting the tomb red

DEFACED: Tomb of Franco in Madrid

Autumn leaves

Do you have a what’s on?

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utumnal glow FAIRS celebrating the autumn season will be held in almost every town on the island, with two festivals this weekend in Capdella and Muro including market stalls, activities and food.

aking waves RIALTO Living is showcasing the work of Pollensa-born artist Joan Bennássar and his series The Rhythm of Oars Breaking into the Sea until November 17 at the Palma Living store.

o r s i n g around P U E R T O Portals is hosting a Sant Martin festival on November 10, with the saint riding round on horseback while children find him using lanterns, followed by cookies and hot chocolate.

TRIPLE TALENT: Dali, Picasso and Cervantes

Push out the pirates!

Rat to his hole!

CRIME

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and found in many local websites magazines. is Renting vessels without a license Balea growing industry around the arics. 2,700 This summer an estimated an apyachts were rented without propriate license. Around 30% of Spain’s yachting rentals are in the Balearics.

set to MALLORCA authorities are the illaunch a huge crackdown on legal rental of yachts next year. nt Police, port chiefs and governme to bodies are drawing up measures ‘pirate clamp down on the so-called half yachts’ that account for almost

RODRIGO Rato will go to jail for his involvement in the infamous credit cards scandal which saw millions of euros stolen. The former PP minister and ex-boss of Caja Madrid, is just one of 63 people expecting to receive sentences.

the market. This includes fines of up to €100,000 can be for unlicensed rentals, which

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Budding cops! MORE than 100 kilos of marijuana has been seized and 10 people arrested as police have ramped up patrols during Mallorca's dope harvesting season. The end of September and early October is the usual time when marijuana farms cultivate their harvest for the year, so police have increased surveillance around the island. More than 100 fully grown plants and 100 kilos of buds have so far been seized by the Guardia Civil.

Stars from Anne Hathaway to Jodie Whittaker keep visiting Ronda, find out why in our travel supplement inside

ll about

Issue 304

November 7th - November

20th 2018

wine, exNICE promenades, good to do…’ cellent food and nothing wrote off Thus Ernest Hemingway numerthe town where he spent the local ous holidays drinkingcorridas, no wine and carousing at of Rondoubt disappointing many his puzzlingly da’s proud residents with lacklustre review. - including Most of today’s travellers ministers and Britain’s last two prime- would certainan American First Lady has been ly disagree with him. Ronda most-visited crowned Andalucia’s thirdsee why. town and it’s not hard to is a true The so-called ‘City of Dreams’ of a cewanderlust gem and somewhat lebrity hang-out. May, Anne HaThis year alone, TheresaJodie Whittaker, thaway, Ricky Gervais, Scott Thomas Gordon Ramsay, Kristin Mariano Rajoy and Spain’s ex-premier the stunning have all allegedly visited locals in the mountain town... so say know.

Picture by Jon Clarke

Obama

headlines Michelle Obama also madetouring the when she visited in 2010,the Moorish old town and discovering Sasha. dynasty with her daughter Novelli Celebrity chef Jean Christophe the town after went house hunting in2009. falling in love with it in sierra setting, With its spectacular high and atmoleafy parks, cobbled lanes Ronda spheric ventas it’s no wonder of so many has stolen the hearts travellers. of writers Over the centuries a slewits timeless have waxed lyrical about and charmcharacter, stunning views ing locals. baptised it the The German poet Rilke Welles took a ‘City of Dreams’, Orson scene and shine to its bullfighting Continues on Page

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‘You’re killing us!’

the Junta for ENVIRONMENTAL groups are taking legal action against ‘failing to tackle toxic air’ in the Campo de Gibraltar. claimEcologistas en Accion has filed a complaint with the Health Ministry, air pollutants ing nothing has been done to protect citizens from a rise in caused by the expansion of ‘toxic’ industries in the Bay of Algeciras. dangerous polAccording to the green group, more than 10,000 tonnes of lutants were released into the atmosphere last year. as well as This includes potentially lethal cancer-causing chemical benzene,

other fine particles. have the worst The writ comes as Cadiz province was officially declared to air quality in Spain. the 30th most And alarmingly, La Linea, which borders Gibraltar, ranks as polluted place in the world in terms of air quality. OrganisaThe shocking stats were revealed in a damning World Health tion report which lists the world’s ‘most contaminated’ Continues page 11 towns and cities. Adding salt to the wound, Cadiz also came bottom in

Tragic end “IT’S a dirty world that I don’t want to live in anymore.” These were the intended last words of a British teen who had embarked on a suicide pact with her 16-yearold boyfriend in Marbella. The privately-educated expat, 14, added: “I’m Sorry: To anyone who has ever loved/known or supported me, thank you, I love you and I will miss you.”

Bizarre

However, her heartfelt messages had a cruel, bizarre twist, when her British-Brazilian boyfriend Richard Fitzsimons managed to take his life off the top of the Corte Ingles department store, while she miraculously survived. It came as a hero security guard somehow managed to grab the girl before she was able to plunge to her death after her lover. In a tragically sad incident - that has shocked the coast and made headlines around the world - the teenager, who we are not naming for legal reasons, is now requiring serious Continues page 2

NOLOTIL VICTORY

A LETHAL painkiller believed to be responsible for the deaths of dozens of expats is finally being regulated in Spain. Nolotil, which the Olive Press has investigated for nearly two years, has been

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EXCLUSIVE By Laurence Dollimore

A BRITISH expat couple are fighting to save their Malaga home from demolition over a technicality. Gill and Bob Ward, both 74, have been locked in a battle with their town hall, which claims their house in Almayate is illegal. Just yesterday the retired couple from Cornwall were given

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doctor to get a renewal in April, tests showed the drug had caused a toxic poisoning in his bone marrow and his white blood cell was dangerously low. Billy, a keen sportsman, developed sepsis and necrotising fasciitis as a result and required ‘radical surgery’ to remove the affected tissue in an attempt to save his life.

The dad-of-two later died from septic shock – believed to be linked to taking the Nolotil. Another British expat Hugh Wilcox was prescribed the same medication for mild shoulder pain on the Costa del Sol. He developed severe head Continues on Page 2

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‘

NICE promenades, good wine, excellent food and nothing to do…’ Thus Ernest Hemingway wrote off the town where he spent numerous holidays drinking the local wine and carousing at corridas, no doubt disappointing many of Ronda’s proud residents with his puzzlingly lacklustre review. Most of today’s travellers - including Britain’s last two prime ministers and an American First Lady - would certainly disagree with him. Ronda has been crowned Andalucia’s third most-visited town and it’s not hard to see why. The so-called ‘City of Dreams’ is a true wanderlust gem and somewhat of a celebrity hang-out. This year alone, Theresa May, Anne Hathaway, Ricky Gervais, Jodie Whittaker, Gordon Ramsay, Kristin Scott Thomas and Spain’s ex-premier Mariano Rajoy have all allegedly visited the stunning mountain town... so say locals in the know.

Obama

Michelle Obama also made headlines when she visited in 2010, touring the old town and discovering the Moorish dynasty with her daughter Sasha. Celebrity chef Jean Christophe Novelli went house hunting in the town after falling in love with it in 2009. With its spectacular high sierra setting, leafy parks, cobbled lanes and atmospheric ventas it’s no wonder Ronda has stolen the hearts of so many travellers. Over the centuries a slew of writers have waxed lyrical about its timeless character, stunning views and charming locals. The German poet Rilke baptised it the ‘City of Dreams’, Orson Welles took a shine to its bullfighting scene and Continues on Page 18

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Vol. 4 Issue 83 www.gibraltarolivepress.com November 7th November 20th 2018

‘YOU’RE KILLING US!’

THE leaders of Andalucia helped to cover up a system of corruption for at least a decade. A total of 21 senior Junta politicians, including two former leaders, established a hidden system of illegal grants and payments that could add up to over one billion euros. The claims come in the state prosecutors summing up of the system of corruption at the heart of the so-called ERE scandal trial that has rocked Spain. In a damning conclusión to the allegations levelled at the leaders, including ex-presidents Manuel Chaves and José Antonio Grinan, the anti-corruption prosecutor described a decadelong 'opaque system' of bent transactions to friends and family. "They took the conscious decision to look away, to not see more," read a statement at the Sevilla Provincial Court. It added that for 'ten years an opaque system of grants was created' that served the Junta and not the local population. In total, hundreds of millions of euros from Madrid and Brussels were syphoned into a socalled 'reptile fund' which was TOXIC: Oil refinery plumes black smoke into the Campo de Gibraltar used to bribe and reward local leaders, businessmen and lo- E N V I R O N M E N T A L Junta for ‘failing to tackle Ecologistas en Accion has cals in return for votes and sup- groups are taking legal ac- toxic air’ in the Campo de filed a complaint with the port for the PSOE. tion against the Andalucia Gibraltar. Health Ministry,

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Capa (right) could save this key cultural building

...While a series of exciting new architectural trends are making waves in Spanish interior design

claiming nothing has been done to protect citizens from a rise in air pollutants caused by the expansion of ‘toxic’ industries in the Bay of Algeciras, which sits just a few kilometres from Gibraltar. According to the green group, more than 10,000 tonnes of dangerous pollutants were released into the atmosphere last year. This includes potentially lethal cancer-causing chemical benzene, as well as other fine particles. The writ comes as Cadiz province was officially declared to have the worst air quality in Spain last week. And alarmingly, La Linea, which borders Gibraltar, ranks as the 30th most polluted place in the world in terms of air quality. The shocking stats were

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TRAGIC: Arthur Robinson was one of the victims

Failing

IN DEMAND T HE Costa del Sol and Barcelona are driving up demand in Spanish property. Data from Spain’s Instituto Nacional de Estadistica shows that, on an annualised basis, house prices grew 6.8% in the second quarter of 2018 with new-build price tags rising 5.7% (see report page IV). However some areas are clearly picking up more of the slack than others, with Catalunya rising 3.7% while Galicia by just 0.7%. The data is the latest confirmation of a trend of strong demand for Spanish property.

Spanish property is a hot commodity and that’s not changing anytime soon

It comes as the country is continuing impressive economic growth after being among the worst hit countries by the 2008 crisis. In 2017, the total number of home sales in Spain increased 14.6% to 464,423 units from the previous year, according to

the Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE). Analysts suggest a good portion of the recovery in housing is being driven by foreigners buying homes on the Costa del Sol and in cities like Barcelona. And despite Brexit, the largest number of foreign homebuyers are British, followed by the French, Germans, Belgians, Italians and Swedes. The outlook for Spain’s housing market remains upbeat, with house sales expected to rise by between 10% and 15% to reach about 550,000 transactions this year, according to TINSA, the country’s official valuation and surveying body.

Too late! By Laurence Dollimore

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It adds that the Sevillabased body is failing to ‘adopt plans to improve air quality and adopt control and inspection measures.’ “It needs to develop a quality control system that ensures consistent

...Celebrating the new

GREEN FUTURE: Sketches of planned upgrade “It will make the paseo a greener, more human space and one of the best in Europe,” insisted Palma mayor Antoni Noguera. “It will convert it from a six-lane motorway to a new space for citizens.” The first of the 2,150 trees are set to be planted early next year, after a five month period of fine tuning.

Andalucia Junta slammed for failing to tackle pollution after Cadiz revealed to have worst air in Spain and highest cancer rates in Spain

revealed in a damning World Health Organisation report which lists the world’s ‘most contaminated’ towns and cities. Adding salt to the wound, Cadiz also came bottom in the list of Spain’s ‘most sustainable cities’, produced by the Observatory of Sustainability (OMS). Green group Ecologistas en Accion insists the Junta is failing to fulfill its duty to ‘adopt whatever measures are necessary to achieve a high level of protection for people and the environment'.

STYLISH: Hip new wine shop wows visitors, while this spacious interior a new development in La Reserva is tempting world’s wealthiest investors of

7th 2018 Vol. 2 Issue 40 www.theolivepress.es October 25th - November

OVER 2,000 trees and tens of thousands of plants are set to revolutionise the look of Palma’s seaside promenade. The €20 million project will create a far leafier, more pedestrian-friendly arrival in the city from 2020. However, the Paseo project, designed by Ibiza architect Elias Torres, is likely to anger motorists, who are set to lose a lane in both directions, as well as 124 parking spaces, the majority by the Palma Auditorium. The winning project, announced by the Port Authority (APB) this week, will see paths widened between Porto Pi and Avenida Argentina. There will be a zebra crossing introduced every 100 metres and traffic lights will also change quicker to help offset the reduction in lanes.

2018

Andalucia’s city in the mountains is a hot ticket for world leaders and their wives despite Hemingway’s lukewarm words, writes Elisa Menendez

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GRAND TOUR-ISTS: Painters tackle the gorge, while (inset) recent visitors Anne Hathaway, Gordon Ramsey, Jodie Whittaker and Ricky Gervais

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and transparent measurements or estimates of pollutants by law,” said a spokesman. The group says oil refineries and other industries are posing a real threat to public health. A recent study by the Carlos III Health Institute, funded by the Ministry of Health, revealed Cadiz, Sevilla and Huelva to have the highest number of cancer deaths in Spain. San Roque, meanwhile, has one of the highest percentages of lung and bladder cancers in the country, directly linked to air pollution and in particular benzene. The surrounding towns, including the likes of Puerto Real and San Fernando, also have far higher cancer rates than the national average. Opinion page 6

SPAIN’S weather agency AEMET has been slammed for issuing weather warnings ‘far too late’ during the deadly Mallorca floods. Finance minister Catalina Cladera demanded answers over the issuing of a red warning at 10.26pm, AFTER the first of 13 deaths had already been confirmed. “They didn’t make any predictions, as they’re supposed to do,” she said. “AEMET inas a stead issued 15:36 warnings 16/06/2017 reaction to what was already happening.”

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It has now emerged that the warnings came many hours after firemen were already out on a series of rescue missions. It was also three hours after Mallorca’s Emergencies chief, Pere Perello, decided to send troops to the Llevant district, at 7:33pm. “The lack of prior warning from AEMET made it impossible to act with greater foresight,” added Cladera.

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AEMET slammed after issuing red warnings ‘far too late’ during deadly Mallorca floods

Best English Pub in Palma Great food Live Music Every Night from 12am Ave de Gabriel Roca 4, Palma

A high-level meeting with Spain’s Environment minister is now on the books to ‘undertake the necessary changes’ at AEMET. It comes a few days after the father of a young boy killed in the Mallorca floods thanked a cyclist for saving his daughter. Brit David Robinson, was almost left without a family after his wife Joana, 40, and his two children, Arthur, five, and Ursula, seven, were swept away in their car in Sant Llorenc. Joana Lliteras, a 40-yearold pharmacist, drowned after somehow plucking her daughter from their car, which rapidly filled with water, saving her life. In a remarkable story, Ger-

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DROWNED: Mum Joana man cyclist Daniel Thielk then picked up Ursula from the gushing current and kept her safe in a nearby cabin for several hours. Tragically, Arthur was found dead more than a week later by a volunteer helping with the clean up.

Dramatic

His tiny body was buried in metres of mud that had washed down from mountains in the heaviest rainfall the island has ever seen a fortnight ago. He was found close to where his Spanish mum performed a dramatic rescue of his older sister. The family of Arthur and Joana penned an open letter to the media to thank them for their efforts in finding little

Turn to page 4

Promenade promises

HUNDREDS of motorcyclists donned pink vests and paraded on their bikes in support of the Spanish Association Against Cancer. The troupe drove from Sa Casa Blanca, through Son Oms to Can Picafort to raise awareness and funds for cancer research.

Flying more THIS winter the Palma airport will have 1.5 million more seats, or 25% more flights than last winter. From November through next March there will 7.7 million seats, mostly with Tui airlines, Jet2, easyJet and Ryanair.

Gridlock might get worse on the ring road, but this is a nice idea (Walk this way, Issue 40). The front line of Palma No doc shouldn’t be a busy highway, CALA d'Or has been left without an emergency docbut rather a city seafront. I shortly tor in the afternoons after the village fought for health care. just hope the city realizesIn24-hour the March they were promised a 24-hour centre, but so pressure it will put on the alfar Cala d'Or's health services close at 8pm on weekdays, and now is shut every ready collapsing highwayafternoon that until November – causing frustration with runs around the city. locals and officials.

A TRIO of robbers are facing 120 years in prison for robbery and attempted murder. The men from the Los Lobato gang are on trial for robbing 21 houses in Mallorca, as well as the attempted murder of a Guardia Civil officer. The gang - which comprised 12 men over three generations of the same family - are accused of breaking into homes

A PALMA police officer has suffered first degree burns while extinguishing another burning bin fire in Mallorca’s latest arson attack. Multiple bins were deliberately set alight in the latest fire crime, while half a dozen cars were also torched by the

Doom and gloom Nice idea, but this is going to be a catastrophe. They should reclaim more and widen the area if they want. And they could start by smashing down that horrendous old Ajuntament building! Sam Jeffs, Palma de Mallorca

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DOOMED: Costa hotel

SMUGGLERS’ WALL POLICE officers have formed a human wall along a beach in La Linea to ensure that the construction of a beach wall went ahead. The wall, between the church of Nuestra Senora del Carmen and the perimeter wall of the fishing port of La Atunara, hopes to

deter drug smugglers from using the beach as a drop off zone. A combined police presence of Guardia Civil, local and national officers were present as fears grew that drug smugglers would try and disrupt the work.

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and taking around €12m in items, mostly cash and jewelry. The gang’s leader, 58, is believed to have been behind a shocking 400 robberies over the last three decades, but police did not have enough evidence to prosecute. They were finally caught by Guardia Civil officers last year, who noticed the suspicious ac-

tivity before they robbed another house in Petra. The driver was caught off guard and drove over the officer, dragging him several metres down the road. Another alleged thief tackled two officers as he tried to flee the scene. The other nine member have also been arrested and face separate charges.

Have-a -go heroes Magaluf

A GROUP of four have-a-go heroes jumped in to stop a man beating his wife. The passers-by stepped in as the Calvia man attacked his wife in front of their two-year-old son. One man was quickly supported by another off-duty police officer when he spotted the man holding his partner by the neck. Two motorcyclists also pulled over to get the aggressor off the woman. The man was arrested for gender violence and taken into custody while his wife and son were taken to a medical centre for treatment.

Police badly burned in new arson attack

By Gillian Keller & Charlie Smith

flames, early yesterday morning around 2:30 am. Shocking images from Palma’s local police show an inferno of melted, burning

Axe arrest

garbage, as onlookers stop and stare at the fires which left at least one person injured. Cars and mopeds can also be seen to be damaged beyond repair, as the vehicles’ bodies are severely melted. Police and fire crews were immediately on the scene of the latest spate of arson, which affected seven vehicles in total. The bustling streets of Carrer de Pere Ripoll i Palou

and Joan Estelrich Artigues, both popular with expats, were targeted in this most recent vile attack. Hundreds of bins have been burned in less than a year as police continue to hunt the island’s serial arsonists. Last month the Olive Press reported that police in Palma were hunting down Mallorca’s petty arsonists, who already had inflicted €200,000 in damage this year through their antics.

Sex bust OVER a dozen men have been arrested for running a sex slavery operation that spanned Mallorca, the Canaries and mainland Spain. In total, police picked up eight men in Palma, with five in Alicante and two in the Canary Islands. The arrests include various Nigerians and Colombians, while five women have been freed. A trio of the women were released in Palma, one of whom had a baby born after being raped. The women were first picked up as teenage girls back home in Nigeria and promised a better life in Europe.But once they arrived in Spain they were told they had to work to pay off a debt of €35,000 each, or their families back home would suffer. Each spent five months walking through the Sahara desert, via Niger and Libya, before taking a ‘patera’ boat to Italy and finally arriving in Spain.

Out of hand

Disaster

These serial arson attacks in Palma are getting out of hand! (Bin bugs burn officer, Issue 40) 11 months of someone burning bins and cars across the city it’s just nonsense - I hope they slip up soon and get caught!

What a disaster- so much damage has been done this year just because someone likes to watch things burn…I feel for the team tasked with finding whoever is responsible, they literally have been burning in every corner of the city - I can’t watch every bin every night.

Pete Nowack, Calvia

Silvia Flores, Palma

Fake advisor

Across 7 Set free (8) 8 Horse's gait (4) 9 Difficult question (7) 10 Among (4) 11 Flowing water (6) 12 Composer of "The Messiah" (6) 14 Hedge plant (6) 16 Have no obligation to (6) 18 Increases (4) 20 Nightclub (7) 21 Midge (4) 22 Compulsive slimmer (8)

24/11/2017 11:18

October 25th - November 7th 2018

From Page 1

NEWS

Susan Mussio, Palma de Mallorca

‘He deserves it’ Not enough stars

Probing

W h a he wea her changes we cou d a be re ugees one day and your e shou d ake ha w s I hope compass on comes your way Th s s he p o a very dark ceberg and wou d scare he sh ou o Trump bu here s us become oca news - rag c

A BRITISH man has been hospitalized after an axe-wielding maniac attacked him before running away. A bearded Spanish man, 36, slashed the Brit, 25, on the head with a small axe before fleeing. Police arrested the man six hours later when the two, once again, got into another skirmish in nearby Plaza Gomila. An officer fired two warning shots in the air to stop the attack before arresting the man.

December 6th - December 19th 2017

He even got himself a financial advice slot on a well known radio station, through which he snared unsuspecting victims. However, a comprehensive Olive Press investigation exposed his scams that involved stamps, coins and gold. We also revealed how he and his close pal Barry Nathan wined and dined up to a dozen criminals, anonymously, through the food column. He eventually fled the country following our expose, but we soon tracked him down to the UK, where he had changed his name by deed poll and was selling coins and antiques on eBay from a small Berkshire cottage. He was quickly found guilty under English law of conning people and given a suspended prison sentence only due to health reasons. “And because he promised to never go back to his online cons,” one of the British victim explained. But this is apparently not the case with two victims claiming he is still using eBay to sell ‘dodgy’ coins and stamps from his unpaid flat in Brighton, using the names ‘gqtrading’ and ‘gqtrading2’. “We are pretty sure he has broken his bail conditions and will have to finally go back to prison,” said one victim. “The nerve of this man is unbelievable.” His landlord last night insisted he should have known something was up from the start. “When we met to sign the contracts I thought he was a bit slippery, I went to pay for my coffee only for the barista to tell me he had left without paying his bill.” He continued: “He paid for the first couple of months but then just stopped. He told us his account had been frozen due to a money laundering investigation, which is probably true. “He then told us to stop contacting him and accused us of harrassment. “Now he is claiming he is seriously ill and can’t work to make payments. “We’ll see him in court.”

Tragic

BIN BUGS BURN OFFICER

Olive Press Crossword Thank you! A HOTEL is to be knocked down for not having enough class! Benalmadena’s Hotel Vista de Rey must be demolished within three months, a court has ruled, Andalucia’s Superior Court of Justice ruled that the hotel falls short of its four-star requirement.

Alex Bee Palma

Robbers face century in jail Dan Cambodian

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POLICE in Manacor are searching for man who was seen driving down the highway with a dead dog tied behind his car. Many locals called in the horrific scene, but police have yet to determine if it is a case of severe animal abuse or a tragic accident where the driver forgot about the dog.

Dr Nina King, of Oasis Dental Care in Marbella, fully supports the campaign, telling the Olive Press the drug is not something she prescribes. “It’s not a drug I use, I stick to safe and standard medication,” she said, “And after seeing what damage it can do, it’s a drug I won’t be using in the future.” Marbella-based private doctor Dra. Victoria María Chacón Almeda also agrees the drug is dangerous. “I don’t prescribe the drug,” she told the Olive Press, “I have lots of British patients and I am aware of what it is capable of doing. “There needs to be a lot more research on its impact.”

Irish tourists. Expats in Spain will now be administered Nolotil on a short term prescription only. Furthermore it can only be CAMPAIGN: Previous issue SALE 59 prescribed after a detailed analysis of Mosquito the patient’s medical his- despite various side effects, which Screens tory and heritage. can cause a rapid drop in white blood It will also have to be cells, leaving patients unable to fight much more closely mon- infections. Medical translator, Cristina itored. Garcia del Campo, who has pulled toIt comes after an Olive gether hundreds of case studies from Press investigation into victims for the AEMPS’ probe, said she the mysterious deaths was ‘very happy’ the authorities of expats from have finally reacted. Folthe drug was lowing the results of her KILL THE launched See page 43 rigorous investigation she DRUG 2016, in has now demanded that along with a the drug must not be sold 1,000-strong without a prescription and a depetition to have it regu- tailed patient analysis. lated a year later. “I am very happy that the problem has Nolotil, also known as been dealt with,” she told the Olive Metamizole, is banned in Press. “I will be making sure that the the UK, the US and most AEMPS recommendations are carof Europe. ried out and if necessary make sure it’s Despite this, the drug is banned completely.” The Olive Press still one of the most pop- began investigating after a trio of exular painkillers in Spain, pat families told us how their relatives had died unnecessarafter CASHBACK ON ily in excruciatingin pain, Andalucia. taking the drug YOUR HOUSE In April, the paper revealed the first steps towards regulation had been taken, with Marina Salud, a big health network in Alicante, issuing a warning to administering the drug to PAYBACK WHEN stop British, Irish and Scandinavian YOU SELL patients. Continues on Page 8

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tribute bands Think Floyd, Deeper Purple and Whole Lotta Led rocking out the greatest hits of Pink Floyd, Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin at the Plaza del Toros on August 26. For a chance to win a pair of tickets to see Bolton, just answer the question; what year was Michael Bolton born in? For the Pink Purple Zep Fest in Estepona, just tell us; Where was Jimmy Page born? Email answers to the newsdesk@theolivepress.es.

week

Graffiti is unacceptable. It's done mainly on public property, paid for by taxpayers. If you or I remove plants or trees from public gardens we would be charged with theft. It, therefore, makes sense that graffiti should not be allowed. How do we stop it? Possibly a reward for information given and a Graffiti Hotline to say when culprits are seen vandalising public property will help. The fact that graffiti has been allowed to disfigure our cities by some shows our own level of caring for a clean green environment.

KILL THE DRUG

THE Olive Press is calling on Spain to ban a lethal painkiller that is killing countless of unsuspecting expats. British dentists and doctors are supporting the ban after Briton Graham Ward, 75, complained to the Olive Press of how he was prescribed the deadly Nolotil drug by a dentist last week. It’s the very same drug that was blamed for killing his wife in 2006. The Marbella-based expat was furious when he was told to take the painkiller by his Spanish dentist, after suffering from a difficult abscess. His wife Mary, 59, had died after being prescribed the same drug following a double vasectomy at Costa del Sol Hospital. “Within 24 hours she was in intensive care, her white blood cell count plummeted to zero within days,” explains Graham, a former computer HAPPIER TIMES: Graham with wife, and Billy Smyth technician, from London. She never regained conscious- again. Metamizole, Nolotil is banned ness and was on a life support “He said she would be alive if in the US, the UK, Ireland and machine for FOUR months, she hadn’t taken it, but I have most of Europe, but it is prebefore spending three years heard from dozens of Brits scribed widely in Spain. fighting the impact of the and Irish who have been given Irishman William ‘Billy’ drug, which led to organ fail- it,” added Graeme. Smyth was given a five-day It is the third victim of the course of the drug in Februure. “The chief surgeon at the hos- drug the Olive Press has re- ary. pital promised me he would ported on in under a year. But when the 66-year-old renever prescribe that drug Sometimes known also as turned to a different Spanish

of the

Look after our own

Dear Olive Press,

GET IN IT TO WIN IT!

THE Olive Press is giving away three pairs of tickets for two of the best concerts on the Costa del Sol this summer... And all you have to do is answer two simple questions! Michael Bolton takes to the stage for an emotive end of season night at Marbella’s Puente Romano on August 10, while Estepona is set for its biggest rock concert in years with mammoth

Doctors and dentists join Olive Press appeal for ban on dangerous painkiller Nolotil EXCLUSIVE By Laurence Dollimore

one month to knock down their only property (pictured above). In a court order seen by the Olive Press, the Wards are warned they will be held criminally responsible if they refuse. “I don’t know what to do anymore, I’m at the end of my tether” Gill told the Olive Press, “I’m totally exhausted from the whole ordeal.” The retired pair, who have now spent thousands of euros on legal costs, bought the old farmhouse ‘in ruins’ in 2004, and were given permission from Velez-Malaga town hall to rebuild it. But when the original wall collapsed of its own accord during construction, the Wards’ architect told them it would be fine and that he would let the town hall know. Unfortunately for

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banned for tourists in Spain. In a breakthrough move, The Spanish Medicine Agency (AEMPS) has finally issued a directive to all healthcare bodies to stop giving the drug to British and

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Lethal painkiller BANNED for Brits after hard-fought battle

679702_DFS_SPANISH_BOX_AD_40x40_MIJAS_COSTA.indd 23/02/2017 11:31 1

to survive.

Artists

The Federation of Neighbours of Palma is now appealing for a larger police presence in the centre to deter graffiti artists from spray painting. It also asks for a civic education project in schools to combat the issue. Fines range from €350 to €750 for tagging property, and up to €1,500 if it’s a protected or historic building.

Se XV e I&

TOXIC: Oil refinery plumes black smoke into the Campo

When is it OK?

and you answered...

20th 2018 Vol. 13 Issue 304 www.theolivepress.es November 7th - November

MESSAGES: Left for teen

creasingly bad, I have never seen it get so bad,” said AN ECUADORIAN expat Angels Fermoselle, from has been arrested after stabthe Association for the Re- bing his tenant with a kitchen vitalization of the Historic knife over a ‘debt’ of €60. It came after he stabbed the Centre (ARCA). "The alarm signals should 60-year-old man multiple needbe red, but we have the times, after insisting hetaxi. feeling that there is abso- ed the rent to pay for a was victim lute neglect not only in re- Fortunately the image, able to flee to a nearby hotel city's the covering while in a seribut in going after those re- for help and he is expected ous condition sponsible,” she added.

but the problem is getting worse, with graffiti affecting almost every city street, claim local resident groups. "Graffiti is a very serious problem and getting in-

Is graffitti always unacceptable, or is it sometimes art? Here are two interesting examples in the heart of Palma... Send your views to newsdesk@ theolivepress.es

SEE PAGE 13

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have been removed in the last six months alone by cleaning body, Emaya. Many more have been removed by private companies and individuals,

What do a British pilot, Country Life magazine and two English teens have to do with Franco’s victory in the Spanish Civil War?

BEST

WITH RESERVATION

By Gillian Keller

A DRUNK driver who had only just passed her driving test has run over two people in Palma. The 19-year-old driver hit the victims on the Paseo Marítimo after running a red light. The two victims were taken to a hospital with various minor injuries. The young woman tested three times over the alcohol limit.

‘

Menendez

Expat stabbing

DAUBED: On shops and even a church

Drunken fool

20th 2018

mountains Andalucia’s city in the leaders and is a hot ticket for world their wives despite Hemingway’s Elisa lukewarm words, writes

GRAND TOUR-ISTS: Painwhiters tackle the gorge, le (inset) recent visitors Anne Hathaway, Gordon Ramsey, Jodie Whittaker and Ricky Gervais

SCENE: From video

BUST: In Palma

errania de Ronda

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Vol. 13

November 8th - November 21st 2018

Unacceptable

Battle waged against a rising tide of graffiti artists daubing Palma city centre

THE authorities have spent a shocking €30,000 battling a sharp rise in graffiti in Palma city centre this year. An incredible 1,200 tags

Spain Issue 304

girls and booze in music video

WRITING’S ON THE WALL

BANGED UP: Rato

New Andalucia Rough Guide See inside

Bentley car before he is ONE of Spain’s leading drug greeted by nearly a dozbosses has taunted police after en semi-naked women, appearing in a rap video surwaiting for him with rounded by scantily-clad dancchampagne, on sofas and ers. in a jacuzzi. Career criminal Francisco Tejon The villa boasts a swimis surrounded by twerking beauming pool, bar and round singer Reggaeton to ties dancing beds with sado-masochClase A. istic sex toys. Spain’s most wanted has been Sources say it is beon the run since 2016 after being ing used as a brothel by of leaders the of one as identified members of Tejon’s gang. the prolific drug trafficking gang He has been branded La Castañitas, which operates ‘Spain’s most wanted out of the Campo de Gibraltar. narco' and detectives in beis video music X-rated The Madrid are said to conlieved to have been shot around sider him to be the most La Linea. important cannabis trafa exiting Tejon can be seen ficker in Europe. His older brother Antonio was arrested in June in an operation involving 100 officers. Tejon’s gang was blamed for a violent raid on a Spanish hospital in February, when gang member Samuel Crespo Dominguez was ‘rescued’ by around 20 masked men.

We asked... enjoying FLAUNTING FREEDOM: Tejon

WIN, WIN!

LETTERS

Police must twerk harder!

Prison

Aristocrat Rato, along with dozens of others at Caja Madrid - now Bankia - fraudulently spent over €15 million on undeclared company credit cards between 1992 and 2012. Rato, who also led the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is expected to get four and a half years in prison.

Down 1 Duce (8) 2 Lower (6) 3 One skilled in algebra, for example (13) 4 Directory of contact numbers (9,4) 5 Achieve (6) 6 Central Chinese desert (4) 13 Physicist (8) 15 Calls on (6) 17 Weirder (6) 19 Ridge of sand (4)

Dear O ve Press

UP to one in three reviews on TripAdvisor is fake, a new investigation has found. An analysis of tens of thousands of reviews shows toprated B&Bs have almost twice as many ‘fake’ reviews as lowerranked accommodation. The Times caught restaurants trying to buy 5-star reviews, as well as negative reviews of rivals. TheOlivePress-256x170-BIKE-4.indd It1comes after the Olive Press exposed a series of Spanish businesses paying for dozens of fake five-star reviews in a bid to increase their rankings.

Thank you so much We de n te y weren t expect- Victims ng to be ront page news It s a ove y art c e and thank you so much aga n or he p ng to br ng the prob em - that so many o us ace - out nto the open

Voted h he 902 123 new ook282 BEST o Pa ma

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Despite TripAdvisor stepping in to investigate, the Times probe insisted enough was not being done to stop the bogus reviews. Another recent study found that almost nine in ten businesses have been victims of negative reviews. Consumer groups say fake reviews are a growing problem and it is believed almost €16 billion a year is spent on travel and hotels following reviews. AN expat mum and daughter Do you know of any businesses have refused to give up their selling fake reviews? Or places cat charity 9 Lives after being abusing social media or review assaulted by a local Spaniard. Aimee Baert, 28, and mum sites? Contact newsdesk@theoSharon, 54, are set to call livepress.es Trick advisor page 6

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Costa del Sol hotel has three months to fight decision before it is demolished

No more

Not facing the rap December 6th - December 19th ! 2017

‘He deserves it’ Not enough stars

SOME 14 fire bosses have been arrested for allegedly embezzling €7 million in W M public funds. The Policia Nacional found that the Consortium of Bomberos Cadiz took out A HOTEL is to be knocked mass early retirement insurdown for not having enoughW ance policies. m class! But when their employees Benalmadena’s Hotel Vista retired early, chiefs siphoned de Rey must be demolished off CONCERNED the money from businesses in the paywithin three months, a court outs. Santa Ponsa are demanding has ruled, changes to Authorities prevent the also areafound disAndalucia’s Superior Court crepancies from becoming in the consorthe ‘new Magatium’s training courses. of Justice ruled that the holuf’. Large sums The Santa Ponsa tel falls short of its four-star were paid to a hotel assocompany ciation has met to Calvia provide training with the t. than permitted. TRAIN requiremen drivers have denounced an mayor, localcourses, but other no evidencealarming police and has stoppingthe lack of safety measures on the “It has happened to us all,Although fur-town hall and been businesses to demand foundathat ther than we planned. Atdeveloper these courses series island. a transition Probing maintain al this exof measurestook place. secustation it's not the end of the world, to improve They sayItthat was later traction butcorrected, the andthe braking began Meanwhile, rity in the resort. probing has at the end of the line, it cess irregulariti three es affected been is.” judge as some ruled that the rectificawereaalso star hotel have one The company began It comes after found of and trains in grantsengine apartment summer and turned turning tion one off to would ensave have taken placeM electricity subsidies, trouble including a sharp block in 2011 after it was de- . which risecops believe The group from Serveis Ferroviaris de gine off as a temporary measure after the granting after were in the numbers used to of nounced the lipay the over of illegal for electrical private planning prostisubstation caughtsofire in rules Mallorca, which also runs the trips. does not count. tutes and street which set aside the plot forPalma May, but months later it cence, vendors. Metro, have a appears exposed the lack of safety to behas 61 apartThe building Hotels fear The irregulariti the norm. the area four es date since starCosta could beback the hotel generator only. Son ments and 46 parking spacto 2008 come 'the new caught The drivers have also cops believe Punta and According to the Ballena', at fire. PGOU town pointed out that leastpart es. the most rowdy €7 million only has been two plan of Magastoof the ten routes in Palma an apartment block was altered some trains len by those at the top. “They have luf. so they have speed stop devices The original building was permitted use less not power, that automatiand the it also but it affects traction cally brake the trains Demands include more police granted planning permisbreached and braking,” as they rules approach said being over oneby driver. intervention against drug trafsion a stop. Earlier by then mayor Enrique “We cannot 700 square two accelerate meters andbigger DOOMED: Costa this month ficking, street vendors and vioBolin inwomen 2001. a train in Palma well with one engine turnedbrake as were hit whenhotel did not off,” he break in time after lent prostitutes, who 'are nightcontinued. it arrived at a station ly dedicated to robbing people'. without a speed stop. FRUIT growers in the AxarUntitled-1.pdf 1 16/06/2017 15:36 quia are facing a 60% reduction in water use from the La Vinuela reservoir with no soPOLICE officers have formed a human lution in sight. wall deter drug smugglers from along a beach in La Linea to ensure The Junta has decided to using the beach construction of a beach wall went that the as a drop off zone. limit its use as the reservoir is A combined police The wall, between the churchC ahead. already at 22.7% capacity and of Nuestra local and national presence of Guardia Civil, Senora del Carmen and the perimeter officers were present as could drop even lower if the wall fears grew that drug M of the fishing port of La Atunara, dry weather keeps up. hopes to and disrupt the work. smugglers would try

ED: H A mee thank you Mag or a ufs reach ng out to us rst these are exact y the k nd o stor es rea commun ty newspapers shou d be cover ng We w sh you the best o uck

2/8/18 17:01

resident

Train safety concerns

A BELGIAN court has refused to extradite controversial rapper Valtonyc back to Spain. The judge refused to comply with the order after the Mallorca musicianFrom wasPage sen-1 He even got himself tenced a financial to prisonadvice for charges slot on a well known radio station, related through to insulting which he the snared monunsuspecting victims. archy in his lyrics. However, a comprehen sive Olive The artist, Press whose realinvestigatio n exname posed his scams that involved stamps, is Miquel coins and gold. Arenas, We also revealed how Josep heinto andexile his close went pal Barry to Belgium in Nathan wined and dined up to a dozen criminals, May after he was sentenced anonymously, through the food column. three and a half years in He eventually fledto the country following our expose, jail. but we soon tracked him down to the UK, where he had moment he is free changed his name “For by thepoll and was selling coins and anddeed is free antiques on eBay from definitively in ahesmall Berkshire cottage. Belgium,” He was quickly found saidEnglish his lawyer guilty under law of conning people and given aPaul Bekaert.prison suspended

sentence only due to health reasons. “And because he promised to Terror ism go back to his online cons,” one never the “There is no ofterrorism British victim explained. involved, there But this is apparently is no incitenot the case with ment two victims claiming he of is terrorism, still using so there is coins no question eBay to sell ‘dodgy’ of a crime acand stamps from his unpaid flat cording to Belgian law.” in Brighton, using the names ‘gqtrading’ However, he added that and ‘gqtrading2’. a European Arrest War“We are pretty sure rant could he has be issued broken if the his bail conditions and24-year-old will have torapper finallytravels to go back to prison,”other said one countries. victim. “The nerve of this man is unbelievab The Sa Pobla artist le.”was conHis landlord last night victedinsisted he should of glorifying have known terrorsomething was up ism, from threatenin the start. g right-wing “When we met to sign the contracts politician Jorge Campos I thoughtand he was a bit slippery, I went to pay for mydefamatory coffee only for the barista to making tell me he had left without paying his bill.” comagainst Spanish He continued: “Hements paid for the firstthe couple of months but royal family in April. then just stopped. He told us his account had been frozen Organisati ons due to a money laundering such as Aminvestigation, is probably true. “He thennesty al which have told us Internation to stop contacting him and accampaigne cused us of harrassmen d for Valtonyc’s t. freedom “Now he is claiming arguing that it is a he is seriously can’t work to make payments. breach of freedomillofand speech. “We’ll see him in court.” Meanwhile Pedro Sanchez’s

Has anything piqued your interest in this week’s Olive Press? Have your say on the matter by emailing letters@theolivepress.es or alternatively Pipe ban message us SMU on GGLERS’ WALL Facebook at www.facebook.com/OlivePressNewspaper or Twitter @ e Lions Threpub olivepress Best English Pub in Palma Great food Live Music Every Night from 12am

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Issue 41

November 8th - November 21st 2018

errania de Ronda

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November 8th - November 21th 2018

Picture perfect Andalucia’s city in the mountains is a hot ticket for world leaders and their wives despite Hemingway’s lukewarm words, writes Elisa Menendez

‘

Picture by Jon Clarke

Obama

GRAND TOUR-ISTS: Painters tackle the gorge, while (inset) recent visitors Anne Hathaway, Gordon Ramsey, Jodie Whittaker and Ricky Gervais

Continues on Page 11

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errania de Ronda

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Hemingway himself capitalised on its culture of bullfighting for two of his own works. Ronda’s legendary torero Pedro Romero who slew more than 5,600 bulls was the muse for his noble matador in The Sun Also Rises; while the fierce rivalry between Luis Miguel Dominguin and Antonio Ordonez, the city’s other most famous bullfighter, is chronicled in The Dangerous Summer. But it seems the good people of Ronda overlooked the Nobel Prize-winning author’s slight on their hood. Instead, they paid homage to him with the Paseo de Ernest Hemingway, a pathway that teeters along the top of Ronda’s crown jewel – El Tajo gorge – which offers up gorge-ous views across the Sierra de las Nieves Natural Park. This 120-metre-deep chasm slicing the city in two is bridged by Ronda’s most photographed structure. The magnificent Puente Nuevo is anything but new, having been completed in 1793. As you cross the cloud-touching bridge, it’s like stepping into a medieval fairytale. The backdrop of soaring mountains crowned with traditional Andalucian white villages is equally dramatic. Taller than London’s Centre Point tower, the structure took a staggering 40 years to complete, claiming the lives of some 50 builders who died bridging the gap. They left behind an awe-inspiring fusion of nature and architecture connecting the new town of Mercadillo with the old quarter, La Ciudad.

Picture by Geoff Scott Simpson

City of dreams

Trailblazers Irish novelist and poet James Joyce (1882-1941) “Ronda with the old windows of the houses, the eyes which spy out hidden behind the latticework so that their lover might kiss the iron bars.”

The word on the street from some of Ronda’s famous visitors…

Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986) “It is here, in Ronda, in the delicate penumbra of blindness, a concave silence of patios, leisure of the jasmine and the light sound of water, which summoned up memories of deserts.”

A chamber above the bridge’s central arch was used as a prison during the Spanish Civil War. Legend has it that

Syrian prince Abu’l-Fida (1273-1331) American author Orson Welles “Elegant and lofty city in which the (1915-1985) clouds serve as a turban and its towers “A man is not from where he is as a sword belt” born, but where he chooses to die.” German poet Rainer Maria Rilke (18751926) “The spectacle of this city, sitting on the bulk of two rocks rent asunder by a pickaxe and separated by the narrow, deep gorge of the river, corresponds very well to the image of that city revealed in dreams.” REGULAR VISITOR: Orson Welles

Republican and Nationalist prisoners were tortured and thrown from the windows to the deadly rocks below. Later

it housed a bar, today it’s a museum dedicated to the history of the bridge and its skyscraper jail.

For a picture-perfect view of the bridge, hike down to the bottom of El Tajo. You can access the scenic walking routes

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November 7th - November 20th 2018

Picture by Jon Clarke

Get carried away!

CAPTION

BIBLICAL: Shepherd pats his sheepdog under the walls, while (right) Mandragon Palace and Almocobar gate

Picture by Jon Clarke

from either side of the bridge. Take the old town side for a more challenging hike or the new town side for the easier route. Ronda’s bullring, poised between new town and old, also gets huge amounts of attention for being the oldest and most beautiful in Spain. There’s a museum inside and you can take a tour. Despite bullfighting’s alleged waning popularity, this famous arena is mobbed in September for the annual Goyesca bullfights, a homage to Ronda’s two most famous matadors and the Spanish artist Goya. Ronda is a tale of two cities. Its old and new towns each have their own distinctive styles with Roman and Moorish influences. Built in 9 BC, it’s one of Spain’s most historic settlements and was a key military bastion in the Roman Empire. It was completely transformed by the Moors, who were responsible for many

VISTA: Across to the famous bridge

of its tourist-magnets today. The banos Arabes is one, originally built in the 13th century and operated by a water wheel, bringing water up from the River Guadalevin below. A stroll around the immaculate chambers, arches and columns - assuming it is open again following the recent floods - conjures up images of the lavish lifestyle enjoyed by travellers in what was then the Kingdom of Granada. A fantastic reconstruction film brings it all to life. Another Moorish highlight is the Casa del Rey Moro, the palace where Michelle Obama surprised onlookers in 2010 when she descended the 300 perilous steps down to La Mina - the water mine – an experience many tourists choose to pass on. Built in the 18th century during the Moorish occupation, it was on these vertiginous steps that chain gangs of Christian slaves formed a human con-

HE is currently on a world tour, having starred at the London Guitar Festival. So it is no surprise that Paco Seco’s Ronda Guitar House is fast becoming one of the most prestigious cultural venues in Andalucia. He and his team offer an exceptional and emotive concert in a very intimate setting. Recognized by Lonely Planet, Rick Steves and Le Routard, this is one evening’s entertainment not to be missed on a visit to Ronda. Run by his English wife Lucy, the team offer a fabulous cultural journey with local Ronda wines served up alongside some of the best strains of Spanish guitar. The concerts take place at 19:00 each evening, and cost just 15€.

veyor belt to pass up containers of water from the river Guadalevin. The heart of the new town is the bustling main shopping street, Calle Espinel - known as ‘La Bola’ by locals. It’s bursting with handicraft shops, local produce and infinite places to stop off for churros and chocolate or Ronda cheeses and wine. Another way to marybeker@gmail.com tel: (+34) 674 130 449 explore Ronda is via its exquiwww.marybeker.com site wine tours. Since Phoenician and ancient Grecian times, wine has been produced here and probably transported to the great cities of the Roman Empire. www.gaucinhouses.com www.countrypropertiesandalucia.com Take a visit to any of the 20 or www.marybeker.com more bodegas and you’ll be filled in well. If you’re spending more than a couple of days in Ronda, the cave art at the Cueva de la Pileta is another must-see. Nestled in the village of Benaojan some 20 kilometres southwest of the city, the belly of the cave reveals Stone Age paintings of horses, goats and fish Stunning Finca with Vineyard near Ronda, which can be marvelled at by Inland Andalucia – €3.200.000 torchlight with a guide. Ref: MB8279 A trip to Ronda, whether it be A great opportunity to buy a working vineyard in the wine growing area for a day, a near Ronda, inland Andalucia, set in 28 hectares of land, with 800 square week or even a meter house and 200 square meter terrace at the back. month has the uncanny ability The house is all on one level, disposed around a central courtyard and to transport any surrounded by beautiful landscaped gardens. The stunning views are to visitor to another time and era. the back of the property and lead down the valley towards the old roman If you’re reading ruins of Acinipo. It is finished to the highest standard and with gorgeous this up there, Mr Hemingway, details, such as the old marble sinks in the bathrooms and old roman we think you gravestones set into the dry stone walls that surround the property. should eat your words.

www.theolivepress.es

14 Nov 7th - Nov 20th 2018

WHERE TO STAY

ll about

November 8th - November 21st 2018

errania de Ronda

You’re bound to sleep well in Ronda...

City of dreaming

HERE is an incredible choice of places to lay down your head in the 'City of Dreams', as Dutch poet Rilke once described Ronda. One of the best is the Reina Victoria (cataloniahotels.com), which was built over 100 years ago by British builders when the train line first arrived here from the coast.

Standing in an enviable spot overlooking the gorge this upmarket hotel is a place to lie back and luxuriate, relax and enjoy the best views in Christendom. Those looking for a more budget offering should try the central Hotel Morales (www.hotelmorales.es), which sits in the heart of the town, perfect for the shops, and the main transport links. However, it is out in the Serrania countryside itself that you will be really spoilt for choice. Check Hotel Arriadh (www.arriadhhotel.com), which counts on some of the best views anywhere in Spain. Often described RURAL DREAM: Breakfast by Alcantarilla’s as ‘zen-like’ the swimming pool

clean lines and maximising of light and views is all thanks to the talents of Dutch couple John and Wilbert. Excellent value, it has an amazingly peaceful garden and a splendid infinity pool. For complete authenticity and to sample a taste of the idyllic mountain life, consider spending a few days at Finca Alcantarilla (www.alcantarilla.co.uk) a wonderful B&B, just ten minutes out of Ronda. Recently described by Bryony Gordon in the Telegraph as one of the ‘most beautiful places’ she has ever stayed, and Sathnam Sanghera in the Times, as the ‘perfect villa holiday’, you will be amazed at the well-appointed grounds and historic features of the home. Another fabulous place to stay at the western end of the Serrania in Jimena is Hostal Anon (www. hostalanon.com).

IDYLLIC: Arriadh and El Anon It’s been a classic stopover for travelers for nearly four decades and the rooms have a Spanish rustic feel, while the outside intertwining terraces have a Moorish décor. Owner Suzanne has lived in Andalucia for over 40 years and the place often comes alive on weekend nights with a very liberal fun feel. Another amazing spot is Hotel Banu Rabbah (www.hbenarraba.com) in Benarraba, one of the most charming, sleepy authentic villages of Andalucia province. In the heart of the stunning Genal Valley, this is an ancient Arabic village, built by the Son of Rabbah, whose family must have been prominent in the village’s early days. A large castle stood in the area and can be found nearby at Monte Poron, where a legend seems to cloud its history. The hotel itself is comfortable and very good value.

On top of the World! Arriadh Hotel is situated in the beautiful ‘Serranía de Ronda’, just a 10 minute drive from Ronda’s city centre. The village Arriate, undiscovered by mass tourism, is within walking distance and offers a wide variety of restaurants and tapas bars. Arriadh Hotel is the perfect ‘home away from home’ to rediscover Ronda and the area. Or just to relax and take in the breath taking views and sunsets from one of the terraces, the garden, the swimming pool or your own balcony. If you want to stay in, don’t worry. Your hosts John and Wilbert always have a variety of tapas available and on request they will prepare a lovely dinner.

Tel.: +34 952 11 43 70

Arriadh Hotel, Los Cañalillos, Ronda, Andalucia.

www.arriadhhotel.com

BUSINESS

15November 8th - November 21st 2018

www.theolivepress.es

November 8th - November 21st 2018

May seals deal

HOTSPOT: Palma

Jobs boost A RECORD 525,000 people were employed in the Balearic Islands last month, the highest numbers EVER for an October. The attempts to create a longer tourist season seem to be working, as the number of hospitality workers was double what it was ten years ago.

UNHAPPY: Hernández

On your hike! THE governor of the Bank of Spain has blasted government proposals to dramatically increase the minimum wage - saying it will trigger major job losses. Pablo Hernández de Cos claimed the 22% increase in minimum wage put forward by Pedro Sanchez’s minority Socialist (PSOE) government would result in 150,000 less jobs. A total of 0.8% of Spain’s labour force could be at risk of redundancy, warned the governor. He claimed the evidence available shows that minimum wage increases always have a ‘negative effect’.

Inequality

He said: “The increase in the minimum wage in small amounts has little effect, but we have few experiences of high rises, none of 22%.” When Sanchez unveiled his 2019 budget proposals last month along with Pablo Iglesias, the Podemos leader, who supports his minority administration, the minimum wage increases were the most striking change. Sanchez’s government proposed an increase of €164.1, boosting the Spanish monthly minimum wage from €735.9 to €900. The proposals, which Hernandez de Cos alleges would create ‘job loss and increased inequality’, constitute the highest minimum wage increase since 1977.

THERESA May has struck a crucial Brexit agreement with Brussels that ensures UK financial services access to European markets. The deal will guarantee the firms market access as long as British financial regulations remain in line with the EU’s arrangements.

Balearic boss works towards all-inclusive accommodation ban ALL-inclusive hotels could be BANNED on the Balearics. It comes after a proposal was recommended by Balearic president Francina Armengol which calls for the regulation or banning of all-inclusive packages popular with British tourists. Armengol said she wants to have a 'broad debate' with business leaders and local hotel and tourism industries before adopting the ban.

This chunk of the negotiations is not set in stone, but the markets reacted strongly at the news with the pound jumping in value by 1.7% over two days. According to The Times the deal was sealed as May encouraged business leaders to lobby MPs to back her Brexit plans.

OPTIMISTIC: Theresa May

End of an era? BALEARIC BOSS: Francina Armengol who spend money in the local economy. It is hoped to discourage stereotypical boozy Brits who come to the island for short party trips and do little to support local culture. "This government always acts based on the general interest of the people but also listens to the town halls and many business owners in the tourism industry.”

Cadiz connection PEDRO Sanchez has defended a €1.8 billion deal which will see Spain sell five warships built in the Bay of Cadiz to Saudi Arabia. The Prime Minister claimed the controversial deal is in ‘the interests of all Spaniards’, following the outcry over the Saudi role in the brutal Yemen war. He said the sale of five corvette warships, assembled by shipbuilders, Navantia, are crucial for providing 6,000 jobs in the unemploymentstricken Cadiz area. Sanchez said: “We are talking about valid contracts, which comply with the rules in our country, and which do not contradict Resolution 2216 of the UN Security Council.” He continues to back the agreement

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Uncivil

She assured that the Ministry of Tourism ‘has worked and is working with the intention of reaching a consensus’ with all involved. “Not all the all-inclusive establishments are the same, and not all off them are linked to uncivil tourism,” the president said. Recent changes have ensured a longer tourist season in Mallorca, with a ‘better quality’ of tourist. Part of the goal of ending all-inclusive establishments is to bring more tourists

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despite rising controversy over Saudi involvement in the Yemeni Civil War, which has seen 50,000 people killed. Saudi Arabia is the fifth largest global recipient of Spanish arms, importing €270 million worth of weaponry prior to the warships deal. Spain’s total global arms exports amount to €4.3 billion and in 2017 they agreed future sales of €21 billion. Sanchez’s controversial comments in parliament came after Madrid went ahead with the sale of 400 guided missiles to Saudi, despite Defense Minister Margarita Robles trying to halt the deal. Following a warning from Riyadh, that Saudi would cancel the €1.8 billion warships deal, Sanchez proceeded with the missiles sale.

WAR PATH: Ships to prop up Saudi Arabia

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YOUR LEGAL PROBLEMS ADDRESSED BY ANTONIO FLORES

Mortgage U-turn

Spanish Supreme Court appeals its own ruling on mortgage loan taxes, writes Lawbird’s Antonio Flores

N an unprecedented decision, the Supreme Court has ‘frozen’ a judgement passed by themselves, just 48 hours before. This unusual situation originated in a ruling on October 16 that determined the bank is the only party with an interest in getting the loan certified by a notary, a prerogative that will allow them - as lenders - to initiate foreclosure proceedings if the borrower defaults on payments. The members of the Third Chamber of the Administrative Section of the Supreme Court added that because the lender is awarded this privilege, they should be paying all associated costs. It makes all the sense in the world, if you think about it. Or not, when the decision directly refers to who will pay approximately €8 billion in mortgage taxes, or an average of €3,000 per loan. The complication with this is that the same court - the Civil Law Section of the Supreme Court - had confirmed earlier in February that taxes on loans were to be paid by the borrower and to reach such a decision, they quoted the ‘consistent and constant’ Administrative Section jurisprudence on the subject matter in dispute. Jurisprudence, or case law, we know evolves with society and cultural advances, adjusting to usages, traditions and customs. It can take decades to change. The tax on mortgages has done a U-turn in seven months, which is inexplicable unless

we accept that most senior judges are backing the banks whilst a minority stand by the consumers, or perhaps the other way around. Be what it may, the Court’s Press Office issued a statement confirming that decision will be reached by 31 senior judges of the Administrative Division of the Supreme Court, on November 5 (see story in news section). In the ruling they will decide who is to pay the taxes and if the banks, whether clients should claim the refund from the lender or from their regional tax agency, which could then in turn claim it from the lender.

Email Antonio at aflores@lawbird.com

PROPERTY Brexit

November 8th - November 21st 2018

www.theolivepress.es

November 8th - November 21st 2018

TEAR THEM DOWN

bonus

THE Brits and Irish have been the main drive behind a surge in foreign investment in Spanish property. According to the latest report from the Association of Spanish Land Registrars, foreign demand increased by 11% to 17,338 sales in the second quarter of this year compared to last. And despite Brexit, the British were still the biggest group of foreign buy-

ers, making up 15% of the foreign market. It is still almost double the size of the next biggest group - the French. The Brits are also growing faster than the next two biggest markets, with the French demand taking an 8% dip. And it it is the Irish who have returned with a vengeance, with demand from the Emerald Isle booming by 47%.

Keys Isl nd

By Amanda Butler

to the

Silver lining

Community spirit and interest in property continues on the island after devastating floods, writes Amanda Butler

ILLEGALLY built houses are now being demolished weekly by the Territory Defence Agency (ADT). Since new legislation in 2016, the ADT has ordered the demolition of over 170 illegally built homes, most of which sit on protected lands.

AINFALL in Mallorca smashed records in numerous parts of Mallorca last month. What a shock to see Mallorca on the global news with the terrible flooding in Sant Llorenç, which was extremely sad for the families who suffered terrible losses of life, their homes and belongings. But it was good to see so many in Mallorca coming together to help with provisions and cleaning up, even Rafa Nadal was seen in his wellies. November has started quite wet as well, with only the occasional glimpse of sunshine – not ideal in trying to promote this island to visiting buyers with having 300 days of sunshine! This year certainly hasn’t been one of those years, but we’re hoping we will get back on track. At least the sun is out as I’m writing this article. Continuing on from my last Olive Press article, I’m delighted to report that the seafront duplex apartment in Palmanova at 1.7 million finally exchanged Option Contracts, with completion before the end of the month – one of the pleasures of the real estate business when the owners are so lovely and the buyer is equally so and fits the property perfectly. It all helps to ensure a sale goes smoothly and swiftly, with no complications – which is often not the case in the Mallorca real estate market sadly. It also helps to be working with a well-established and experienced real estate agent, of course!

More illegal homes than ever are being demolished EVERY WEEK in Mallorca

LOCAL HERO: Nadal helps cleanup effort Thursday will be an interesting day for me, with a last-ditch attempt to try to save the Mallorca Astronomical Observatory. Quite an unusual type of project to try to sell and not of great interest to many, but I have been doing everything I can to try to promote it in the hope of saving it as an important facility for Mallorca. I had been involved with a client showing interest from the Middle East, but due to the current media climate that is off the table. So, having been given a final deadline of Friday November 9 to submit all offers, I have somehow pulled another potential interested party ‘out the hat’ and will be there with the client on Thursday at 2pm in the hope he may decide it’s an interesting project to get involved in! If you are reading this on Thursday please send your positive thoughts over my way - we could use all the positive vibes available! I have everything crossed and against all odds, hope to be able to report some positive news next issue. So watch this space… pardon the pun.

IN DANGER: Homes built on illegal land In the five years previous to 2016, only five houses were ordered for demolition.

Tourist rental fair A FAIR for homeowners who rent for holiday tourists has been announced for next March – the first of its kind in Mallorca. The booming business of tourist rentals has grown so rapidly that the Federation of Vacation Tourist Estates (FESV) is organising a fair at Binicomprat in Algaida (pictured) on March 14 and 15. Representatives from every sector including energy companies, swimming pool maintenance, cleaning services, gardening and security companies will all present their services, and some offering special discounts to tourist rental owners. There will also be vital information and clear facts given at the fair, and explanations of new and updating laws.

Contact Amanda J Butler to buy or sell your home: Tel: +34690075169, www.mjcassociates.net. Your professional one stop property shop around the Island!

But now, houses, sheds, barns and structures built on protected land without proper licences are being torn down. In recent years the government has made significant strides in assisting the ADT, including more staff, effective penalties and increased public awareness. "We have made huge progress, but also have a lot of work ahead of us,” said ADT CEO Bartomeu Tugores. Since 2015, employees have doubled to 31, and already have the funding for 24 more once a larger office space is found. Those who are ordered to demolish an illegally built property have two months to do so and pay the fine, after that the fine goes up by 10% per month for a year, leaving the fine more than doubled when left unpaid. There are now better systems in place for reporting illegal structures – before the new system hardly anyone would report illegal homes because nothing was usually done about it.

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Cooking up a storm

A NEW cookbook all about Catalan cuisine has hit the streets. Barcelona-born chef, Daniel Olivella, owner of popular restaurant Barlata in Austin, Texas has penned the recipe book to celebrate all things Catalan. The new cookbook, titled Catalan Food, showcases an indepth look into the region’s most popular dishes. Rejecting earlier opportunities to write Spanish tapas cookbooks, Olivella is a proud Catalunyan and wanted his recipes to reflect his roots. “I love Madrid and Sevilla and other parts of Spain, but I believe that Catalan cuisine is one of the most unique in the Mediterranean diet,” added the chef.

Love

The cookbook’s 80 recipes are intended to be cooked ‘leisurely and with love’ – the Catalan way. As for his cooking philosophy, he believes ‘the best cooks let the region and season influence what’s on the stove or in the pot, using whatever is freshest and most tempting at the market.’ The book features traditional dishes including paella Barcelonata (seafood paella) and llom de porc canari (slowroasted pork loin), as well as inventive takes on classics. Born and raised in Villafranca outside Barcelona, Olivella moved to the US at the age of 17 to become a jazz musician, where he spent years working in the kitchen of his uncle’s restaurant La Paellea in Chicago while studying. Soon he shifted gears and focused on cooking and became one of California’s top chef’s before moving to Texas in 2010.

MUST READ: Catalan cook book

NEXT YEAR: Mallorca chef Rodriguez

November 8th - November 21st 2018

Out Tapas-ed

AN award-winning Mallorca-based chef has been pipped to the post at the Tapas World Championships after claiming the title last year. Igor Rodriguez, who opened tapas restaurant Brexta in Palma this year, was looking to repeat last year’s performance in Valladolid after he beat a whopping 500 applicants

to win the Pintxos and Tapas Competition and a €6,000 cash prize. However the San Sebastian native lost out to newcomer Luis Antonio Carcas Armingol, owner of the Casa Pedro restaurant in Zaragoza. The international contest, which sees an overall winner announced, went to a chef from New Zealand.

Against the current

Spanish chefs unite to end electric pulse fishing which ‘damages ocean’ and ‘breaks backs of fish’

HAD ENOUGH: Head chefs Dacosta, Bort and (far right) Arzak

A COTERIE of Spain’s top chefs have joined a lobby against the use of electric pulse fishing in European waters. The industrial fishing method electrocutes fish on the seabed to make them swim into nets, but environmental campaigners say it causes extensive damage. Chefs Quique Dacosta, Blanca and Samuel Moreno, Veronica Garcia, Luisa Lorenzo, Maria Malvar, Mar Suau, Angel Miguelez, Mario Sandoval, Juan Mari and Elena Arzak and Xavier Rocas have signed a manifesto against the practise. "We refuse to work with seafood products that condemn our future and that of the ocean.” The campaign is organised by BLOOM, a French environmental organisation and backed by influential Michelin star winners such as Christopher Coutanceau, and chefs' associations in-

cluding the Relais & Chateaux network and EuroToques, which has 800 members in Spain and 300 members in France. Proponents of the fishing method say only a weak electric current is used but BLOOM warns: "Electric currents have no mercy on marine life: the whole marine life is electrocuted. Data is lacking with regards to the impacts of electrocution on marine life, especially on electro-sensitive species, like sharks and rays, but also on eggs, plankton and water chemistry. There is one notable study by Dutch group IMARES, which showed that 50% to 70% of large cod caught by pulse trawls had their spine broken after an electric shock." The practice was banned in 1998, but in 2006 an exemption allowed the Netherlands to license 84 boats and the UK to license 12 boats for electric pulse fishing in the North Sea.

Oil’s not as it seems HALF of Spain's bestselling 'extra virgin' olive oil brands are falsely labelled, according to a new study by Spain's Consumers and Users Organisation (OCU). The consumer group found that out of 41 brands of olive oil tested, only 21 qualify for the premium 'extra virgin' classification, the rest belonging to the lesser 'virgin' category. Among the 20 charlatan drizzles named and shamed by OCU were Lidl's Olisone at €4.92 a litre and Aldi's Olearia De Olivar at €3.99 a litre, which were both deemed 'poor

quality'. Oleoestepa's D.O.P.-certified oil came top in the study at €5.34 a litre, while Carrefour's own extra virgin was rated secondbest at a much more modest €3.63 a litre. Taste, quality and care of the fruit, and acidity, were among the oil qualities that were tested by OCU in their independent laboratories. "No physicochemical problems have been detected, the only problem was in the taste test, which is an unreliable method," said Primitivo Fernández, the director of the National Association of Edible Oils Bottlers and Refiners (Anierac).

17 17

What’s on for foodies!

all for it MURO is set to be invaded by pumpkins with its annual autumn fair, Fira de Turdor, with pumpkin contests and top restaurants creating special dishes with the orange veg from November 9 to 11.

apping in TAPALMA returns for a second year to Palma, with a tapas and cocktail bar hopping route and a bartender competition until December 2.

w e e t enough? LLUBI’S annual honey fair will be showcasing the island’s best golden sticky stuff with wax candles, baked treats and local crafts on November 18.

Peruvian Fusion Cuisine by Irene

tel: 696 52 67 58 Carrer de Cotoner, 44, 07013 Palma, Illes Balears

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

November 8th - November 21st 2018

www.theolivepress.es

November 8th - November 21st 2018

tale of two porks In the second part of our serialisation of an exciting new food book, Fiona Dunlop looks at two popular local dishes inspired by two different restaurants

600g pork loin 1 head of garlic, broken into clov es 2 carrots, peeled and sliced 1 leek, roughly chopped 90 ml aged sherry vinegar 100ml fino or white wine 3 – 4 cloves 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tbsp fresh oregano bay leaf twist of black pepper extra virgin olive oil salt

sprigs of coriander for garnish Couscous Extra virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced 1 small onion, finely chopped 250g couscous grains 250ml vegetable stock 1 red pepper, hulled and finely chopped 4 thin asparagus spears, woody end broken off then cut in half 50g seedless raisins 1 tsp ground cumin

Bring the pork to room tempera ture Heat some olive oil in a frying-pa and hour or so before cooking. aside. Lower the heat and cook n over high heat and quickly brown the pork on both sides. a further minute on each side. Remove and set Transfer the pork to a plate, leav pan. ing the oil in the Toss in the garlic, carrots and leek . for 15 – 20 minutes. Remove from Sauté until tender then add the wine, vinegar and spices, seas on About 20 minutes before serving, the heat and submerge the pork loin in this escabeche (marina then simmer de) for 4 hours. make the couscous. In a large saucepan, heat som e olive oil over a low heat and saut Add the cumin and asparagus and continue to cook until the veg é the garlic, onion and pepper for 5 minutes. etables are tender. Stir in the rais salt, then set aside. ins, season with In a separate saucepan, heat the vegetable stock. Once it starts heat. Allow the grains to abso to boil , tip in the couscous and remove rb the stock for 3 minutes. Retu from the rn the pan to a low heat, stir in olive oil and fluff up the grains 1 tbsp extra virgin with a fork to separate them. Tip the couscous into the sauc and stir to combine. epan of vegetables Arrange the couscous on a serv ing dish, lay the pork loin on top and garnish with a sprig or two of coriander.

Restaurante El Parque, Cabo de Gata

l Parque feels like the last outpost of civilisation in south-east Spain. It sits at the base of a serpentine road up to the Cabo de Gata lighthouse commanding a headland known to Greek and Phoenician sailors thousands of years ago. From here the coast swings north to demarcate Spain’s largest volcanic area, wild, semi-deserted and a protected parque natural. The restaurant itself belongs to Manuel Barbero, 78, who gravitates between Madrid and the fishing-hamlet of La Almadraba de Monteleva, right beside the salt-pans of Las Salinas. Despite this remoteness, it is barely half an hour’s drive from Almería. “Es mi tierra!” (it’s my land!) he exclaims when I ask him how he found the spot back in 1990. In those early days it was a typical chiringuito (beach bar) with walls of cane and a floor of sand. Now upgraded into a large wooden cabin with views of the sierra and the sea, it magnetizes locals who pile in for perfectly cooked,

MUST READ: Andaluz – a Food Journey through Southern Spain, now available for pre-order on Amazon

This is a real muscle-building dish as you need to work energetically to keep the semolina moving while it is cook ing. It was originally a poor man ’s dish made from stale breadcrumbs or balls of flour and water dough. That vers ion surv elsewhere, but the superior semolina migas are a local passion round here ives served in Almería’s bars as a sma , often ll tapa. Serves 4

tells me how, twenty years ago, they tossed a coin to see who would be chef and who would be front of house. Luismi got the cooking job, leading to two years of catering school and work at a Michelin-star restaurant. That experience shows in his attention to detail and passion for local food. It also means that some people consider Arrieros to be the best restaurant in the province of Huelva.

Reconquista and expulsion of Jews and Muslims, eating pork became a sign of identity and proof of belief, in some cases to keep the Inquisition at bay. The habit has lasted – and tender Iberian pork is one of Andalucia’s greatest products.

Marinated Iberian pork with raisin Ibérica en escabeche con cuscus couscous/ Presa de pasas

Arrieros, Sierra de Aracena hef Luismi López and his wife, Adela Ortiz, are seated at their local café carved out of a former bull-ring. Above towers the village church and downhill stretches a web of cobbled streets and whitewashed houses. “Linares only has about 300 inhabitants” Luismi points out, “So our clients come from nearby towns like Aracena and Alájar. They dress up smartly to come for dinner - it’s an occasion.” Arrieros is a rustic-chic restaurant that flows onto a flowery terrace. Outside, neighbours’ chit-chat and church bells vie with a cacophony of hundreds of birds nurtured by the surrounding nature reserve. The verdant woodlands are also famously home to Iberian pigs which end up as superlative solomillo or jamón ibérico so it is no surprise that Luismi loves cooking with pork. “Things have changed in the village since I grew up here” he continues. “As a child we ate lamb, kid goat, brains and liver - now I want to revive goat and offal, it’s something we have lost.” Adela, elegant and energetic,

TWO recipes from opposite ends of Andalucia and opposite ends of the culinary spectrum show different approaches to pork, the region’s favourite meat. In the days of Al-Andalus, as it was forbidden by both Judaism and Islam, only Christians ate it. With the

Migas Almerienses / Almerian ‘migas’ or crumbs This is a real muscle-building dish as you need to work energetically to keep the semolina moving while it is cooking. It was originally a poor man’s dish made from stale breadcrumbs or balls of flour and water dough. That version survives elsewhere, but the superior semolina migas are a local passion round here, often served in Almería’s bars as a small tapa. Serves 4 2 heads of garlic, peeled 2 green peppers, seeded and cut into strips 150ml olive oil salt to taste 150g chorizo for frying, sliced

ultra-fresh seafood and succulent arroces. These rice dishes are skilfully prepared by the tireless cook, María Martinez, although the recipes are Manuel’s. Front of house another María keeps this popular institution buzzing all year round. May those Valencian inventors of paella up the coast eat their hearts out!

100g morcilla or blood sausage, sliced 150g bacon, cut into large pieces 500 ml water 500g semolina Salt to taste 100g olives, stoned and split

In a paella pan or a deep frying-pan, heat the olive oil. Fry the garlic split into two until golden, transfer to a plate leaving the oil in the pan. Sauté the strips of pepper in the same pan until lightly browne In the same pan fry the blood sausage and chorizo slices for d and tender then remove to the plate. 5 minutes or so, turning them, then the bacon and continue to fry for 5 minutes or so until crispy. Transfe Using the same oil add the water, then stir in the semolina with r to the plate. turn the semolina as its cooks over a medium heat, pushing, a pinch of salt. Use a metal spatula to scraping and turning constantly, adding more water if it thickens too much. It is ready when it has turned tastes of bread and has become quite elastic. This takes about a golden colour, has a toasty smell, 30 – 40 minutes. Once done, remove from the heat and share between individu al dishes or arrange on one large serving plate, garnishing with all the fried ingredients on top. Serve with a plate of olives on the side.

Published by Interlink Books, USA www.interlinkbooks.com Keep up to date with Fiona’s latest work at www.fionadunlop.com, Facebook: fionadunlopfoodandtravel and Instagram: @ffdunlop

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November 8th - November 21st 2018

Green fingers Posidonia grass art exhibition is an artistic, educational and environmental journey through a series of pieces, writes Gillian Keller

UNIQUE exhibition fusing art and the environment is aiming to educate locals on an important part of Mallorca’s marine ecosystem. Posidonia, showcased at the OD Port Portals hotel in Calvia, is a series of artworks created with seagrass instead of paintbrushes by acclaimed Ibizan artist Antonio Villanueva. The ultra-modern hotel hosted a big bash to reveal the exhibition, which will be featured in the hotel lobby throughout November. “I have always been interested in

posidonia - a plant which is more than 100,000 years old - that produces more oxygen than the Amazon rainforest,” said 78-year-old Villanueva, “and almost nobody knows about it, which I find ridiculous.” The skilled artist was at the opening party by founder and CEO of the OD Group, Marc Rahola Matutes, nephew to Ibizan hotel emperor Abel Matutes. Some say he was born to run a hotel empire, raised by father Víctor, a prestigious architect, and mother Maite, a talented interior designer. "When I met Marc and talked about this,

tronomy, design, comfort and great art.

OD Port Portals THOUGHT-PROVOKING: Series of combines colourful works created with Posidonia good location with contemporary and mediterranean design. For work or for pleasure, as a true symbol of quality, OD Port Portals is everything anyone staying in Majorca can ever wish for. A lively place, with its own events, Burger Meets Gin, Mexican Brunch or Tasting Brunch, where locals and visitors are welcome.

INSPIRED: Artist Villanueva opens exhibition while (right) reporter Gillian checks out the artworks we saw that we were both very invested in the issue and we agreed that education starts from the bottom and is key to change, so we started this project,” said Villanueva. “The posidonia is the most important ecological element of the sea." Around 75 people attended the opening party, with a continuous flow of cava and tapas. The crowd was a mixture of all generations, with both locals and expats alike from across Europe captivated by the works. “Most of us are art lovers, but my mates and I came over from Palma to support the cause,” guest Grant Perkins told the Olive Press. “We see first hand the problems in the sea, the plastic and pollution issues are huge and their effect on posidonia is tragic but reversible if we act now,” continued Perkins, a London expat working in the yachting industry in Palma.

The exhibition has three styles of Villan- and galleries, is the information plaques ueva's art on display, all created using next to each piece. Usually the informadried posidonia seagrass in different tion is about the artwork – detailing the title, the medium and description ways. There are seven bright and bold paint- of the artwork - but they offer facts and ings, with each base painted using the information about the importance of the seagrass. seagrass instead of brushes. Around the corner lies a set Posidonia is a vital piece of the Balearic of three works, a hybrid of ecosystem and in recent years there painting with the posidonia have been great advances in measures to protect the seagrass. and Da Vinci sketches. But what stole the show were the eight glass bricks, each a dif ferent transparent colour, with dried posidonia arranged inside, sparkling under each ray of light that touches it. The most interesting part, especially for those who frequent museums CAPTIVATING: Seaweed in glass

Music, gastronomy, design, comfort and great art.

OD Port Portals combines good location with contemporary and mediterranean design. For work or for pleasure, as a true symbol of quality, OD Port Portals is everything anyone staying in Majorca can ever wish for. A lively place, with its own events, Burger Meets Gin, Mexican Brunch or Tasting Brunch, where locals and visitors are welcome.

Av. Tomàs Blanes Tolosa, 4 07181 Calvià | Mallorca +34 971 675 956 odportportals.com

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November 8th - November 21st 2018

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Not Roughing it! Nov 8th - Nov 21st 2018

To celebrate the launch of the new Rough Guide to Andalucia, author Geoff Garvey tells the Olive Press about some new chestnuts, including a rooftop pool

HERE’S always something new under the sun in Andalucia. So, if you were thinking by the time we’d reached the ninth edition of the Rough Guide to Andalucía we’d have nothing new to say, you’d be quite wrong. A maxim in the gardening world has it that the best gardeners never stop learning and the same seems to apply to writing about a region as richly diverse as Andalucia. Of course, the world-class star attractions are always there waiting to be revisited – the mighty Alhambra, Córdoba’s Mezquita and the fabulous Alcázar in Sevilla – and repeated visits bring deeper appreciation and understanding. But a new edition is also about finding that off-the-beaten-track place that you’d somehow never come across before. And even in my own home province of Cádiz (I live up near Grazalema), I was recently astonished to discover

PLACES TO SEE: One of the many coastal restaurants and (right) the Caminito del Rey in Malaga province an amazing Visigothic church in the woods above Barbate. This 1,300-year old edifice still has its magnificent cupola intact and although vandals have daubed graffiti on it, it’s set to soon be protected by the authorities. Nearby, in the grounds of a charming country hotel you can also find the astonishing Palomar de la Breña, a dovecote dating from the eighteenth century and capable of holding over

8,000 birds. The dovecote once produced carrier pigeons for the Spanish Indies fleet who used them to communicate with Spain while out in the Atlantic and is one of the largest in the world. When you get weary of tramping around archeological sites or marble museum floors, it’s time for a bit of weight-off-your-feet indulgence. And we’ve refreshed our previous eating tips with some interesting arrivals.

Eating fish in sight of the sea is a special treat in Andalucía and one of the most charming places to do it is at the aptly named La Ola (the wave) in La Isleta del Moro (Almería province). All the fish is caught with their own boat and the house special here is a mouthwatering arroz con bogavante (lobster rice). At the opposite end of the region, in the verdant Sierra de Aracena (Huelva province), there’s another wonderful

little restaurant called Mesón Arrieros. When autumnal setas (mushrooms) are in season this is the place to be and they also serve up a mean solomillo de cerdo ibérico, succulent black pig fed on acorns. New on the tapas scene meanwhile in the city of Cádiz is La Candela, an endearingly slovenly barrio bar serving outstanding low-cost tapas – the ravioli de pato (duck ravioli) is a dream on a plate.

A r e y o u l o o k i n g f o r a n e w k i t c h e n ? We would be happy to help you plan the kitchen of your dreams. Why not visit our showroom in Santa Ponsa and be inspired! Plan your individual kitchen space with our kitchen design specialists and see for yourself the diverse possibilities of the LEICHT kitchen world. x

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THEY CERTAINLY KNOW THEIR STUFF THE Rough Guide doesn ’t just report the best walks , dining exper iences or hotels , but it lists the best media outlet s too. And it seems their exper t team have hit the nail on the head when it comes to advisi ng which are the best newsp apers to read in Andal ucia. “The best of the bunch is the Olive Press, a fortni ghtly paper which freque ntly campa igns on local and region al issues .” M a n y thank s to the Rough Guide team for recognising our PRAISE: From the latest hard work! Rough Guide book CULTURE HOTSPOT: Andalucia offers dozens of artsy offerings And interestingly, Córdoba has become something of a dining out Mecca with the chefs at Noor and El Choco both gaining a coveted Michelin star, while a arrival on Malaga’s culinary scene is Oleo on the banks of the Guadalmedina and close to the contemporary art museum. As well as a top-class restaurant there’s also a sushi menu and their tuna with truffle cream is a big hit. Ramblers are in their element in Andalucía and few places are more alluring than the northeastern corner where you find the rugged mountainous Parque Natural de Cazorla, the largest protected area in Spain and the second largest in Europe. We recommend the Río Borrosa hike in the heart of the park which follows the river upstream to reach the Salto de los Organos, one of the park’s most spectacular waterfalls. En route you’ll have the chance to spot some of the park’s spectacular wildlife which includes the long-horned cabra hispanica (wild mountain goat), deer, wild boar and a host of

birds and butterflies. Among the former is the spectacular Lammergeier, or bearded vulture, recently reintroduced to the park after hunters had killed the last breeding pair in the 1980s. When it comes to nightlife, for sheer musical drama it’s hard to beat a genuine flamenco tablao (show). Some of the established venues such as Sevilla Los Gallos and the Peña Platería in Granada are fine places to experience flamenco puro (true flamenco). We’ve added some new venues this time, including the Puro Arte flamenco theatre in Jerez where professional dancers and singers will bring you close to the essence of this irresistible folk art. Cádiz town’s Peña La Perla – named after one of the city’s flamenco greats – is another wonderfully atmospheric old peña (club) overlooking the sea where earthy flamen-

co often happens spontaneously during the week with a regular show on Friday nights. At the end of a long and busy day it’s always a relief to come back to a hotel that feels like home from home. In addition to the guide's tried and trusted old faithfuls we’ve added some new discoveries. These include La Patria Chica, an impressive renovated 19 t h - c e n t u r y mansion in the charming town of Priego de Córdoba – itself an unsung gem stuffed with a host of fine Baroque churches. Then there is the Balcón de Córdoba in Córdoba city is a former seventeenth-centur y convent now transformed into a luxurious boutique hotel oozing tranquility and charm with patios filled with tinkling fountains and ancient stones. While in Granada a piece of hotel history has made a welcome reappearance after being closed for 30 years. The Hotel Washington Irving, sited on the Alhambra’s doorstep, opened its doors in 1820 and following a complete makeover is now filled with four-star opulence. Whether this would appeal to former guests such as his-

DON’T ROUGH IT - WIN IT!

ICONIC: Arab structures are dotted around the region

Now you can win a copy of the brand new ninth edition of the Rough Guide by answering the following questions: What is Geoff’s favourite walking region? His favourite new place to go out for a show? Send your answers to newsdesk@theolivepress.es Three lucky winners will get copies of the guide…

panist Richard Ford, Ernest Hemingway or Washington Irving himself – who all knew how to rough it – is debatable but there’s little doubt that Federico García Lorca (known to use the hotel lobby’s piano) would have revelled in the new and delightful rooftop pool.

Frontline Renovation Project SW Mallorca 4/5 Beds 4 Baths 300 m²- Living 900m² – Plot € Price on Application Ref: 07015

Fabulous renovation opportunity on it’s own little peninsula, with direct access to the sea and local beach. A fabulous renovation project has been designed by a well-known architect to turn this into the house of your dreams with 4 baths, roof terrace, flat garden and large terraces. Stunning views, only 15 minutes to Palma. Price On Application.

Contact Amanda J Butler your one stop property advisor in Mallorca email: ajb@mjcassociates.net or tel: (+34) 690 075 169

COLUMNISTS

Top fear

BOUGHT a new car a few months ago. My old and faithful Fiat, ElPando, had to go and although it re- the left hand side? I really seem to ally was to all intents and purposes struggle and it’s worse with this car. an old heap that had seen better When parking ElPando it would be days, it actually drove like a dream, basically OK, vaguely straight but turned on a sixpence and basically always miles from the kerb. This car never caused me a moment’s worry. however, I just can’t seem to do it. If the air conditioning hadn’t been Back in England I was always proud unfixable and the clutch hadn’t died of my parking skills, smirking smugI’d still be driving around in it today. ly as I watched someone struggle in However, even the hardiest of mo- and out of a space twice the size of tors finally give up the ghost and it their car. Well that hapless, useless had to go. parker is now me and I hate it. When Buying cars is something I absolute- it comes to parking I’ve become that ly hate and used to woman driver which I buy from auctions to used to swear didn’t make the process as actually exist. quick and painless as There were cars There was a slight possible, this backtwist to all this when strewn all over two weeks ago I had fired on me many times but that’s anto get to the airport to the place but I other story. Looking meet some early arrivthrough those freebie just kept driving als for the villa compapers you find in pany I work for. It was most supermarkets lashing down and had I found myself a very been for hours, I’d boring but tidy Toyota had to leave before it at the right price so I bought it. Even was light and was really up against the colour was boring, a dull grey it as the torrents and gullies didn’t and although it’s certainly smarter seem to be clearing the rainwater. than its forerunner I just couldn’t I’d got about fifteen miles and was warm to it. It felt like I was borrowing trying to cross the hills beyond Polthe unused car of a maiden aunt. lensa, I was in a very slow moving The bodywork was in good condition queue of cars and the sky wasn’t which meant I had to be careful, getting lighter. All the cars in front especially when parking. Well de- of me stopped and began to turn spite being here over two years now around and then as I edged forward, I still haven’t mastered the parking thinking what quitters they were, art. Why is it so different sitting on I saw that the police had made a

road block. I know a back way so I chanced it, with water up to my wheel arches, and wipers that just weren’t clearing the screen I battled on. It was actually pretty scary, the radio stopped transmitting, cars were strewn all over the place but I just kept going. It took over two hours to do a 45 minute journey but I did eventually make it. I am in no doubt that it was only because my boring saloon was a Toyota that it actually got me there. ElPando would never have done it and

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wouldn’t have wished that journey on anyone. My next worry was how the hell would I get home, the rain hadn’t stopped until well into the day. In true Mallorcan style however, by the time I returned it was as if it had never happened. Apart from the odd and very large puddle there was no sign of the earlier carnage. So I’d like to thank you my little Toyota, and seeing as I’ve just scraped your wheel arch you are actually starting to feel like mine. I may just have to think of a name for you.

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I later discovered that several of my friends had to give up that morning. So maybe boring and reliable is the way forward (literally). Since that time I have felt a lot happier with my choice of vehicle. I did mention the drive in a comment on Facebook later that day and received some really negative and disbelieving comments, mainly from people who were probably still in their beds sleeping off hangovers and missed the worst of it. Well good for them, I seriously

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CARNAGE: Mallorca floods washed away dozens of cars

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Mallorca diaries

merry Christmas everybody !

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Across: 7 Liberate, 8 Trot, 9 Toughie, 10 Amid, 11 Stream, 12 Handel, 14 Privet, 16 Needn’t, 18 Adds, 20 Cabaret, 21 Gnat, 22 Anorexic.

Lesley Keith’s new car got quite the initiation test during Mallorca’s flash flooding

Lucky Dip Roll a Ball

November 8th - November 21st 2018

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Down: 1 Dictator, 2 Reduce, 3 Mathematician, 4 Telephone book, 5 Attain, 6 Gobi, 13 Einstein, 15 Visits, 17 Eerier, 19 Dune.

SPORT FA boss

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in cuffs

THE vice president of Spain’s football association (RFEF), Andreu Subies, has been arrested as part of Operation Soule, a Spanish corruption probe. Spanish football’s number two joined the governing body in May after Luis Rubiales was appointed president and previously held the post of president of the Catalan Football Federation (FCF).

Siphoned

A police investigation into corruption in the Spanish game also saw former president Angel Maria Villar resign as he faced allegations, as authorities claim money had been siphoned off from the FCF. The Spanish FA said: “The RFEF expresses the utmost respect for the legal actions, following the events that took place this morning. "We want to highlight the necessary respect for the presumption of innocence."

more take , the her r und.

Ck Cashba

CUFFED: Subies

l Dec. 18

November 8th - November 21st 2018

Breaking point will miss the ATP Finals in London, which he admitted he ‘really wanted to play’. Nadal’s latest injury woes come after Serbian, Novak Djokovic stole his number one ranking after the Spaniard pulled out of the Paris Masters.

Knocked

The Serb, who has 14 grand slam titles, was knocked out of the competition by Karen Khachanov 7-5, 6-4, despite claiming Nadal’s top tennis crown. Paul Quétin, fitness trainer for the French Tennis Federation spoke about about Nadal’s injuries and claimed if he played ‘he would have possibly made his injury worse’. Despite Nadal’s news, he can reflect on a fantastic season overall, achieving a record of 45-4 and winning his record 13th French Open title.

Cash back

The more you take the higher your refund

IBERTY Seguros, the expats number For convenience, payments can be set up one choice for insurance, is offering both in Spain or in your home country bank more discounts to both existing and account, as long as it is within the Single Euro new customers through a new Cash- Payments Area (SEPA) zone. back promotion, from now until December Customers must be aware that these offers 20 2018. are not for renewals or replacements and apisting customer? client? ply to new comprehensive car and home. In To continue their loyalty to existingNew customers, for every new car or home policy taken out, some cases, minimum premiums will apply they will€receive €60 Cashback, so as much to be€eligible for the Cashback. Some other as €120 for just two new policies. There is conditions may apply. € of policies €taken CASHBACK CASHBACK € also no limit on the number Liberty Seguros continues its commitment to with 2 new policies with 2 new policies out, so if you own say two or reward loyalty to their valued three cars and more than existing customers doing its y a Liberty Seguros customer? one home, customers can get utmost to offer the best ser€60 Cashback vice and price possible. dditional Car or Home policy andfor getevery new policy contracted.Moreover, Over 175,000 expat clients k. existing customers will benealready chose Liberty as their ts, the first policy will give you 30€ fit from an additional custominsurance provider and this figd 60€ for the second policy onwards. ers’ discount. ure grows almost everyday beNew are not forgotcause of the excellent service The Expats’ No.1 Choice olicies! No limit onclients Cashback! ten either. They will get €30 and quality of cover clients get. firsttopolicy In order to achieve this and ur agent, callCashback 91 342 25on 49the or go www.libertyexpatriates.es they take out for either car or home insur- to assist those that prefer a more personember 2018 to 20th December 2018. Policies must be paid by direct debit. Not for renewals or replacements. Applies only to new comprehensive ance allVisitsubsequent policies alised service and a face to face chat, Libernditions and minimum premiums will be and applied infor all cases. our website or ask your new broker/agent for full details. €60 each. This could mount up to €90 Cash- ty Seguros has an extensive network of 300 back for just two policies and even more if brokers and agents that are dedicated to they havePage) more cars7orNovember homes. providing unbiased, friendly, expert advice. s – 250 x 200mm (Junior Incredibly, there is no limit on Cash back Speaking your own language, these brokers whether you’re an existing or new customer, so and agents will be pleased to advise you. it’s the perfect time to switch your insurances With insurance, not only for car and home, to Liberty Seguros and save money and put but also life, pet, business, commercial, leimore towards your Christmas presents! sure, public liability, personal injury insurThe main condition that is applicable is that ance and funeral plans, today Liberty Segupremiums are paid by direct debit and your ros is considered the expat’s number one refund is credited to that same bank account. choice in Spain.

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Par-fect MURCIA’S La Manga golf club has been named the Best Golf Venue in Europe for the second year in a row. The golf resort in Costa Calida was honoured with the prestigious title at the World Golf Awards which are known as the ‘Oscars of Golf’. The stunning resort boasts three 18-hole courses, sporting facilities and the five-star Hotel Príncipe Felipe.

Dogged by injuries, Rafael Nadal is forced to hang up his racket for the season just days after losing his world number one title to rival Djokovic NADAL has suffered a double blow after an ankle surgery ended his season just days after he lost his world number one ranking to Novak Djokovic. The Spaniard withdrew from the Paris Masters due to abdominal injuries moments before going on court. On November 5 he announced his early end to the season on social media. The 17-time grand slam-winner said: “I am writing these words to you as the end of the season. “It was a difficult year, very good at the tennis level when I was able to play and at the same time very bad in terms of injuries.” As well as the tennis star’s ongoing right Cashknee injury and his baCk Spain’s abdominal troubles, number one revealed he would also undergo an ankle operation. The surgery now means Nadal

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23 23

November 8th - November 21st 2018

OUT OF ACTION: Nadal

Hocked to pieces SPAIN’S men lost the Four Nations hockey tournament to the Netherlands at the weekend after they thrashed England 3-0 in the semi-finals. The hotly-anticipated final hockey clash in Valencia came after four countries, including Ireland battled it out for the prestigious Four Nations title. England finished last overall, following a 2-2 penalty shoot-out loss to Ireland on Sunday, although Englishmen Luke Taylor, Harry Martin, Zach Wallace and Adam Dixon all got on the scoresheet. Spain can look ahead and England will have to gather themselves for the 2018 Men's Hockey World Cup which begins at the end of November in Bhubaneswar, India.

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FINAL WORDS

Cruises growing IN the first nine months of this year, tourists from cruise ships increased 15 percent from last year, bringing in nearly two million people. The numbers will only grow as autumn is the highseason for cruise ships in Palma.

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Training day

Collapsing cases PALMA'S court of violence against women has collapsed with over 600 pending cases. There are 611 cases currently pending with staff only able to able to attend to emergency cases due to lack of staff and officers.

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HAPPY BOSS: Nick with new team

A POPULAR expat vet has a novel new receptionist at his practice. Staffordshire bull terrier cross Rafa, one, has joined long term assistant Julieta, 13, at the surgery in Bendinat. Owner Nick Murgatroyd, 52, is hoping Rafa will learn some of the tricks and skills of his other dog, who has helped out for years. "Julieta is excellent at welcoming other dogs and calming them down when they arrive," said the Yorkshireman, who has lived on the island for 17 years. "She also has an uncanny ability of judging which dogs are more temperamental and might nip. "She then warns me with a couple of quiet woofs," he said. It is not known if youngster Rafa possesses these talents yet - as he currently seems more interested in running around puppy style with all visitors. "Only time will tell," mused Nick.

Cave it in! Pigs on the march FARMERS have called for new fences and an extended huntning season after wild boars decimated their mandarin harvests. The wild pigs are ‘out of control’ and have ‘destroyed everything in their path’ in the Benicassim and Castellon areas. Grower Vicente Gimeno said: “It’s getting worse… they have eaten 4,000 kilos of my mandarins. "They are starting to invade some of the roads.”

HUNGRY: Wild pig

A HOBBIT-STYLE house has been illegally carved into a cave in the protected Tramuntana mountains. Its owners will now have to destroy the Soller dwelling to its previous natural state after it was seized by the Territory Defence Agency. A brick-framed door was built into the cave, leading into a small room with a double bed, table, chair and even electricity.

Nonsense

Outside feautred a makeshift kitchen, with an oven built into the natural rocks complete with storage space and a work surface. “This is all rural protected land, it’s the Natural Area of the Serra de Tramuntana and a UNESCO World Heritage Site," said the Territory Defence agency, blasting the DIY job. The miniature home was branded 'urban planning nonsense' by the group, which routinely hunts down illegal homes.

902 123 282 * Fu l l y c o m p r e h e n s i v e o f f e r v a l i d f o r n e w c u s t o m e r s o n l y. G u a r a n t e e s u b j e c t t o c o v e r, r e p a i r a t a p p r o v e d g a r a g e , a n d c o u r t e s y v e h i c l e a v a i l a b i l i t y. S u b j e c t t o c o n d i t i o n s . O f f e r e n d s 3 0 / 1 1 / 1 8 .

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Olive Press Newspaper Spain

Published on Nov 8, 2018

Mallorca Olive Press - Issue 41

The island's original community newspaper

Mallorca Olive Press - Issue 41

Published on Nov 8, 2018

The island's original community newspaper

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