Olive Press Newspaper - Issue 349

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voice in Spain

We investigate continuing plans that threaten to destroy this paradise

Football fan responsible for controversial All Lives Matter banner rubs shoulders with extremist Tommy Robinson, as he plans Costa move

See page 6

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ESTUCO INTERIORS

3 1 / 1 2 / 1 9 .

21/6/19 13:30

PALS: Jake Hepple (left) with Tommy Robinson

EXCLUSIVE

By Kirsty McKenzie

tention in the UK." Robinson, the former EDL leader remains in Spain and was most recently spotted on top of the Rock, teasing plans that he was ‘moving to Gibraltar’.

Robinson said: “My fat little legs got me to the top of this. Moving to Gibraltar, stick that in your f*cking s*it paper.”

Extremist Robinson, who has been banned from Twitter, Instagram and Facebook following racist rants, has been hinting for weeks about making a big move.

In an earlier video, filmed after enjoying racket sports at a posh leisure centre in Marbella, the far-right activist said he was 'fleeing' to Spain from the UK after an alleged arson attack on his wife’s UK property.

Speaking from Manolo Santana Racquets Club in Marbella, Robinson revealed in a video posted to Russia's VK platform that he had secured places at local schools for his three children but was still 'in the process' of finding a permanent place for them to live.

The Brexit supporter, who has vocally opposed immigration into the UK, went on to say that he is looking at permanently relocating his family, ‘which is pretty hard to do, especially with COVID’.

In another video he contradicted himself and pledged to return to the UK. Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, said: “Let me just clarify

again.” something for the record. I am not moving abroad or anywhere permanently.

“I’ve just had family issues and location issues to deal with. My family not me, that will free me up for the work that I do.”

He added: “For all you snowflakes I will be back in the UK very soon, on the streets of England, doing what I do.”

The 37-year-old admitted many had been ‘triggered’ when he was said to be weighing up leaving the UK, given his previous anti-immigrant dia-

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tribes and the perception he was now becoming one himself.

The rabble-rouser, who does not understand Spanish, previously stated that if a person ‘does not speak our language, he should not be in the United Kingdom’. Now commentators in the Spanish press have questioned whether he will learn Spanish.

One twitter user in Gibraltar said: “We embraced refugees during the Civil War. We rejected Franco. Many of us marched in a show of anti-racism on July 4.

“Our history is nothing without anti-fascism. Tommy Robinson is the worst of the English far-right and we don’t want imperialist crap in Gibraltar.”

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Sunken treasure

E n d s

C O STA

Right pair

Kicking on

c o n d i t i o n s .

expat

Vol. 13 Issue 349 www.theolivepress.es August 5th - August 18th 2020

THE man sacked for flying a ‘white lives matter’ banner above a football game has been spotted rubbing shoulders with far-right activist Tommy Robinson on the Costa del Sol. Jake Hepple, 24, claimed responsibility for the outlandish stunt at the Manchester City v Burnley game last Is this Liverpool fan Spain’s oldest month. ex-pat?

Both teams had taken the knee in Page 5 support of Black Lives Matter just minutes before Hepple arranged a plane to fly a White Lives Matter sign above the pitch.

The Burnley fan and his girlfriend Megan Rambadt, who also had her employment terminated in relation to posts she made on social media, fled to Spain earlier this month.

Hepple posted in support of the EDL on Facebook and appeared in a photo with its former leader, Tommy Robinson, as the pair met up on the Costa Del Sol. Hepple had been seen in the Fuengirola 'Fish Alley' party strip.

A source, who did not want to be The fight is on as Spain tries to claim a multi-billion euro fortune discovered named, said: "He was here with his girlfriend. I saw them both in on the sea bed...

O'Brien's Irish pub.

Page 20 “They seemed relaxed and having a good time, and were saying they had been See page 9 & 12 forced to come to Spain to escape media at-

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CRIME

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NEWS IN BRIEF Moonshine bootleggers TWO people have been arrested for selling useless sterilising gels made of moonshine to hospitals and health centres fighting coronavirus.

Home run hooligans A RESIDENTIAL security guard has been held at gunpoint by youths in Puerto Banus who were residents of the very urbanisation the man was trying to protect.

Risky business POLICE have busted five crooks attempting to traffic 70 people from Morocco to the Andalusian coast for a profit of €108,000.

Pervy landlord A LANDLORD in Huelva has been nabbed for using a spy camera to film his female tenant in the bathroom.

August 5th - August 18th 2020

Secret world A glimpse inside some of Spain’s biggest drug lords’ lairs HIDDEN underground tunnels and hidden bales of hashish have been discovered after the largest raid on drug smugglers’ homes near Gibraltar.

Two leading figures are still on the run after the Narcoville area, near La Linea were raided a month ago.

One of them is Gibraltar’s Gareth Mauro (pictured right), whose fellow clan members were arrested in the police raids.

Now the Olive Press can re-

veal more about Narcoville which has hit Spanish national headlines.

Police recently found secret underground tunnels to transport drugs or money if one of the houses was about to be raided.

The luxury houses - illegally built - have no numbers and are surrounded by metres-high walls, making them only visible from the air.

The ‘drugs estate’ in the El Zabel area, covering

Finders not keepers

A man from Cadiz is facing up to three years in prison after digging up ancient treasure near Jerez de la Frontera.

Police became aware of the metal detectorist’s golden haul when he began posting photos of the loot online.

The treasure trove included Phoenician gold jewellery dating back to 1,200BC. Experts estimate the earrings are between 2,500 and 3,200 years old.

When police searched the man’s home in Villamartín, Cádiz they discovered many more pieces including ancient gold coins, a stone bust of a woman, a bronze lion, Roman weights and a bronze axe.

Treasure hunting has been illegal in Spain since the 1980s.

SINGLE IMPLANT

SLY: Crime rats underground four square kilometres and homes come equipped with high tech cameras keeping an eye on who is passing by,

Paedo teacher traced A TEACHER convicted of sexual assault at a Northern Ireland school has been arrested.

The man had been based in Cartagena and taught English and music in 2004, before moving onto private tutoring.

In the 90s, teacher served 18 months in jail for committing 12 sexual offences against children in Northern Ireland, which included the abuse of a boy aged under seven years.

He was barred for life from teaching in the UK and Northern Ireland.

British authorities lost track of the man, and in 2018 requested the Policia Nacional to locate him, after concerns he had returned to teaching overseas.

IMPLANT BRIDGE

with police and journalists among the most regular visitors.

It was recently revealed an Algeciras musician used the home of a drug smuggler as the setting for a music video released last year.

Flamenco reggaeton star Canelita released the video 10 months ago and got ten million hits.

It was filmed in the home of drug clan leader Jesus Heredia, who was recently arrested while he was having breakfast in Chiclana.

Recent searches revealed 52 bales of hashish weighing 1.5 tonnes hidden underneath the base of a shower with bundles of cash hidden in a toilet and under the sink.

Police believe up to 80% of the homes have been built using illegal funds.

Wheel concern A BRITISH man has been arrested after exposing himself to young girls and trying to speed off on his motorbike while completely naked.

The suspect, in his 40s, was sunbathing naked on Santa Ana beach in Benalmadena when he began approaching several other beachgoers.

He then noticed three girls between the ages of 10 and 13 and began talking to them while exposing himself.

Violence

The girls’ grandmother approached the Brit and told him to leave but he responded by shoving the pensioner to the ground, giving her a knee injury.

The man was reportedly clearly intoxicated and had no clothing or documentation on him.

Policia Nacional soon arrived to the scene, at which point the Briton tried to flee on a motorcycle, which he mounted while stark naked.

According to police, he initially refused to ID himself before he was arrested.

He is being charged with exhibitionism, resisting arrest and for causing injury to the grandmother.

IMPLANT DENTURE

NEWS

www.theolivepress.es

August 5th - August 18th 2020

SUMMER OF FUN

3

The stars have fled to Ibiza for the summer

BUNS OF STEEL: Love Island star’s Georgia (left) stays loyal to her jetsetting lifestyle

REAR VIEW: Georgie Shore star Charlotte Crosby stuns in sultry holiday snap

DOUBLE TROUBLE: Dele Alli and James Maddison toasted the end of the season with a break in Ibiza

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THE biggest names from the world of sport, music and reality TV have proven that nothing can stop them from having fun in the sun.

Celebrities from the A-Z list jetted to Ibiza in a bid to heat things up this summer after a glum start to 2020.

Caprice, Rita Ora, Rebekah Vardy and former Boris Becker WAG Lilian de Carvalho were all among the stars soaking up the rays on the famous party isle.

Of course the celebs weren’t shy splashing snaps of their luxury trips across social media.

Posing poolside, Love Island gals Georgie Steel, Arabellla Chi, Kaz Crossley and Elli Brown all wowed fans with pictures of them sunning themselves on the White Isle.

Fellow reality star Charlotte

Crosby, from TV series Georgie Shore, claimed she nearly “snapped my back in actual half” trying to take a sultry shot of her tanlines at Ibiza’s Bless Hotel.

Boys on tour

Meanwhile England football stars Dele Alli, James Maddison and Jake Grealish have all been spotted enjoying the end of the Premier League season with beers and a bevy of beauties during their Ibiza break.

Despite their worldwide fame, all the celebrities will have to quarantine for two weeks when they fly back to the UK.

SUN’S OUT: Rita Ora strikes a pose on the White Isle

4

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BRITISH expats are being conned into handing over personal information in a fake paperwork scam.

A British woman has warned her fellow countrymen not to fall for the hoax that could see them fleeced out of hundreds of euros.

Lily Adamson, who helps non Spanish speaking expats getting appointments for NIEs, said she was horrified when she discovered the fake website trying to trick Brits into handing over their personal details and hard earned cash.

Lily claims criminals are hiding behind a fake Cita Previa webpage and convincing expats to pay money to ob-

NEWS Costa del SCAM

August 5th August 18th 2020

tain a form saying ‘tasa’ fees have been paid.

She said: “The problem is not only this website is scamming people out of a modest amount of money.

“It is that they pretend to be an official site and therefore, you trust them with your personal data; name, address, phone, email and even bank account info.”

Lily says vulnerable Brits are being led to a page called Gestoclic, where they

are asked to fill in all their data and pay €29 for fake forms from the police.

She added: “They don’t give you a receipt, you only receive a confirmation number through the email you have provided them with.

“Your fees are not paid and you probably won’t hear from them again.”

Delays in getting police appointments may make the problem worse.

Torture by red tape, page 6

Give us our pensions

Brits win ruling in legal battle to recover lost funds in CWM case

EXPAT pensioners hit by a Spanish-based scam could get 70% of their money back.

The leader of a group of British victims trying to recover money lost with the failed Costa-Blanca based pensions advisory company, Continental Wealth Management(CWM),

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has welcomed a major ruling from Malta.

The country´s Arbiter for Financial Services has ordered Momentum Pensions Malta to compensate for 70% of losses suffered by their clients who took out high risk investments with CWM, which operated from Denia before folding in 2017.

Momentum have said that they intend to appeal the Arbiter´s decision which criticised them for dealing with an unlicensed company.

COURT DATE: Kirby In February, a 17-strong group of expat claimants launched a cluded pensioners signing private prosecution in Denia ‘blank form’ dealing instrucagainst CWM, with a number tions. of ex-employees testifying in Money was then put into highcourt. risk assets that netted large Angela Brooks, who spearcommissions for CWM. headed the legal move, told the CWM used QROPS schemes Olive Press: to attract the pension pots of “This is an exaround 300 tremely imexpat residents portant piece of by promising news from Malhigh returns ta and a massive for risky investboost in our bid ments. as the Arbiter The private has confirmed prosecution that CWM was hearings were unlicensed. suspended be“The law in cause of the Spain clearState of Alarm, ly states that but are expectfirms and indied to resume Three Lions viduals dealing next month, with advice, with a suminsurance and mons issued FOLLOWING THE investments for Kirby to apSTORY: Since 2017 must be lipear.. censed.”

Angela Brooks A number of said: “It shows ex-CWM-emthat even a repPower ployees gave grab utable firm like CE FA evidence Momentum during the THE MUSIC was taken in first part of the and it indicates hearings this how easy it has year. been for indiThey told a viduals to be judge that forhoodwinked.” mer CWM boss One pensioner Darren Kirby on the Costa knowingly put Blanca told GUIDE up to €35 milthe Olive Press lion of clients’ he had lost pension pots into high-risk €210,000 after transferring investments, and that he took €470,000 despite saying he responsibility for getting the had only a ‘low to medium’ atconsent of clients, which intitude to risk.

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BACKING DOWN: Carles

Confusion reigns

Continues on Page 7

EXCLUSIVE

As Spain celebrates Hispania Day, the Olive Press runs a rule over Columbus

SEE PAGE 10

Expats lose millions in life savings

Brits’ life savings.

through the company,

SEE PAGE 20

whose boss Darren Kirby has now allegedly moved to Australia.

One Costa-del-Solbased expat told the Olive Press he sunk £59,000 through CWM, only realising he had lost £39,000 when his pension trustees sent a statement.

“I couldn’t believe it. I have lost thousands of pounds,” revealed the victim, asking to remain anonymous.

“The adviser kept telling me, ‘This is guaranteed, it can’t go below a certain level’.”

His money, and that of others across Spain and France, was put into high-risk ‘professional investor only’ assets, it has been claimed.

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It is believed at least 300 of CWM’s 900 clients have had their pension pots decimated, with victims shocked to later dis- to end up back in Britcover the value of their ain on benefits.” investments had plum- “I have nothing but praise for Tony Barnett meted dramatically.

However, a source [Trafalgar MD] and close to the case in- Stewart Davies [Mosisted: ‘There are still mentum chef execumany customers who tive]. They have been are happy with their magnificent in trying to recoup people’s pension portfolio.’

A n d a l u c i a - b a s e d money.” tax specialist Angie The Olive Press unBrooks, a leading ex- derstands it is highly possible legal action pert on pension liberation schemes and may be taken by some the founder of Pension parties against CWM, Life, has now launched a fight to help get victims’ money back.

She is working alongside pension trustees Trafalgar International and Momentum Pen- based out of headquarters in Alicante, and its sions.

“People are terribly executives. distressed,” Granada- Both the office in Javea based Brooks told the and the website have Olive Press. “They have recently shut. lost large amounts of When the Olive Press their retirement sav- spoke to boss Kirby he ‘definitively’ ings.” denied She added: “Some of responsibility over the these people are going crash. “I have lost my world,” he said.

A close associate of Kirby’s told the Olive Press former CWM staff were all ‘very upset’.

“It is still quite raw for them, and they are working out what to do next,” he said.

Opinion Page 6

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Switching energy supplier with Mariposa Energía is easier than flicking a switch

SPAIN’S PP party has set out audacious plans for a power grab to take control back from Valencia and the other autonomous regions.

Leader Pablo anCasado his nounced commitment to strengthen the up central government’s role in the run to the national elections in a fortnight.

He insisted that such a move would prevent corruption and lead to a drop in taxes. see It comes as the party attempts to off the threat from an insurgent Vox the Party, whose leader has described autonomous parliaments as the ‘cancer of Spain’. increato wants PP the plan, Under the se resources for regional government delegations and paralyse any further transfer of power to the regions.

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see Casado insisted the move would Spain being administered ‘more effectively’. his The election hopeful stated that reparty would carry out a sweeping view of how the regional authorities operate looking at ‘efficiency and equity.’

Spain’s quasi-federal political system to of ‘autonomous states’ was added MinisPrime 1978. in the constitution ter Pedro Sanchez, whose party drafted the the constitution, strongly opposed plan, insisting the PSOE would defend ‘tooth and nail’ the principal of regional self-government.

Vol. 1 Issue 2

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DREAMY: Period home restored by British couple in Spain

Balearic Islands.

“Prices have been rising most years since the recovery began, but nothing like they did in the boom years, and nowhere near enough to claw back the ground lost in the bust,” explained respected analyst Mark Stucklin, of Spanish Property Insight.

However, he added ‘at the very least, the data suggests that the Spanish property continued to grow last year.’

Mortgage lending to home buyers meanwhile was up 6.1% in January to 19,390 new loans, according to the Association of Spanish Notaries.

The average new loan made in January had a value of €135,616, an increase of 0.9% in a year. As long as mortgage lending for residential acquisitions continues to increase, as it has done for the last few years, the Spanish property market is set to grow.

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Vol. 1 Issue 15 www.theolivepress.es

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director What do Fatboy Slim, Travolta, Paul Haggis, John Asbaek Dean Norris and Pilou They’ve have in common? all had links to the Balearics this week

Govt in exile

BACKING DOWN: Carles

Confusion reigns

FIND OUT WHY INSIDE

beleaguered CATALUNYA’S to fight on leader has vowed from abroad.

PuigdeIt came after Carles in to mont handed himself a EuroBelgian police when was ispean arrest warrant sued. politicians He and four other of reare accused on charges misuse of bellion, sedition, disobedience public funds, and breach of trust. now has A judge in Belgium to decide if up to two weeks the group they will extradite to Spain.

Expats who lost millions rage at ‘unauthorised’ deals involving ‘worrying’ signing of blank sheets EXCLUSIVE

By Joe Duggan

Pension peril

SPAIN’S prime minister has accused Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont of causing ‘confusion’ after signing a declaration of independence.

Mariano Rajoy demanded he clarify if he had really declared independence following Tuesday’s nail biting address to the Catalan parliament.

If so, Rajoy insisted he could trigger Article 155 of Spain’s constitution to allow Madrid to take direct control of Catalunya.

“There is an urgent need to put an end to the situation that Catalunya is going through - to

who lost up BRITISH expats a failed pento €20 million in believe their sion advisory firm been phosignatures may have Fight docutocopied onto investment living extradition ments.

Given the whole up to 60 Around 300 Brits, mostretrieve rying’. are battling to very essence process can take he may have in Spain, after Alicante-based “This negates the are meant to they were days, it means election their funds of the service they “It is a blank me they knew what Wealth Manto run his entire the Catalan firm Continental offer,” said Flores. wherever, doing.” folded in Sepsome of campaign for Party agement (CWM)reported in the cheque to invest He added: “I believe European Democratic were made tember, as first whenever. the investments this is I think from Belgium. him to fight Olive Press a month ago.

“If standard practice, without my knowledge.I do not left for AusHis party wants of Boss Darren Kirby of very worrying. that is the case because for all the documents for continued leadership in tralia following the closure ofhalf and I Javea “Signing blank recall signing sheets has gone down by to get it the regional parliament would be seen the company’s main elections. investments I had.” need compensation the December 21 by the Olive as irregular in a he had fices.

An email, seen asking a cliback on track. who are spread across Puigdemont denied court of law. The to avoid jus- Victims,as well as in Ibiza, MalPress, shows CWM “But some people with a blank fled to Brussels left because problem Spain, ent to sign and return France and have lost everytice but that he these firms is that was lorca, Portugal, dealing instruction. thing and don’t 55, who fear illegal practices the Spanish government they were all inof oppres- Turkey, Another British expat, around to sign blank have enough to preparing a ‘wave vesting in highly against after being asked is trying to recover pensionlive on. One rePENSION risky investments sion and violence’ dealing instructions. were then €200,000, said some pots tired victim only the cliseparatists.

OUTRAGE without convinced Their pension assets ers ‘have lost everything’. has €50,000 left that I sent “I’m absolutely preparing invested in high-riskout large ents knowing.”

“My paper work my risk level from €480,000.” that the state was repression which promised to pay He claimed that has been altered, ‘medium’ to Andalucia-based a harsh wave of losses sustained have all commissions. pensioner was changed from lawyer Antonio instrucinvestors for which we would by he One 69-year-old whose he lost ‘high’ and my dealing Flores, been held responsible,” photocopied would hopefully told the Olive Press Lawbird tions have been firm after transferring and sellrecoverable said yesterday. be is com- €210,000 despite stating he BOSS: Kirby now in representrepeatedly for buyingauthorise,” are that failed “The Spanish state €470,000 repression… aversion Australia as the investments bust, were ing assets I didn’t ing some CWM mitting a brutal repression blank inhad a ‘low to medium to perform, or went policies. he said. investment. victims, said signing ‘very wormoney left if we don’t battle to risk’ attitude to you sign this he said. state linked to life insurance looking “I still have some enough to vestment sheets was Momentum together, the Spanish “I was asked, ‘Canwill fill in the “They should have been Pension trustees now attemptwere just and I am still young 15:36 We may win this fight.” but my fund 16/06/2017 1 out for me but they to the blank form. and Trafalgar are Untitled-1.pdf that trusting they feathering their own nests. To get compensation, clients’ In a show of supportaround details.’ I did ing to recoup CMW interests,” deposed president, would act in my best losses. so far been 200 Catalan pro-indepentravelled to The Olive Press hasif CWM was dence mayors to stage unable to discover investBrussels on Tuesday registered to provide Spain’s offia rally.

SPECIALIZING IN: ment advice with CNMV. cial financial regulator LAW Voted

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They’ve been getting stoned for centuries.

Now UNESCO is interested in Mallorca walls.

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October 12th - October 26th 2017 Vol. 1 Issue 13 www.theolivepress.es

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As sherry gets big in London, we look at some quirky Jerez cocktails

As Spain celebrates Hispania Day, the Olive Press runs a rule over Columbus

SEE PAGE 20

SEE PAGE 10

SPAIN’S prime minister has accused Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont of causing ‘confusion’ after signing a declaration of independence.

Mariano Rajoy demanded he clarify if he had really declared independence following Tuesday’s nail biting address to the Catalan parliament.

If so, Rajoy insisted he could trigger Article 155 of Spain’s constitution to allow Madrid to take direct control of Catalunya.

“There is an urgent need to put an end to the situation that Catalunya is going through - to Continues on Page 7

Who’s paying us?

Expats lose

millions in national and Momentum PenEXCLUSIVE life savings sions.

“People are terribly disthrough failed Granada-based tressed,” CONFUSION reigns over who investment Brooks told the Olive Press. should foot the bill for Mallorca “They have lost large amounts hotels hit by the collapse of air- scheme of their retirement savings.” line Monarch.

She added: “Some of these EXCLUSIVE Balearic hotels are facing a people are going to end up

By Joe Duggan €10million bill over the colback in Britain on benefits.” lapse that saw the emergency “I have nothing but praise for British expats repatriation of over 110,000 HUNDREDS of retrieve their Tony Barnett [Trafalgar MD] back to the UK, many from are battling to losing up to and Stewart Davies [Momen(above) team at March pensions after OFF TO OZ: Boss Kirby and Palma. tum chef executive]. They failed pension Administrator KPMG told the £20 million in a charity bash have been magnificent in tryIt is believed at least 300 of ing to recoup people’s money.”

Olive Press ‘the debt owed by investment scheme. financial advi900 clients have had expat remain anonymous.

Monarch to hoteliers will rank Spanish-based Press understands it Wealth One Marbella-based sunk “The adviser kept telling me, CWM’s pots decimated, The Olive as an unsecured claim’ against sory firm Continental the Olive Press he go their pension shocked to later Management (CWM) folded told only ‘This is guaranteed, it can’t with victims the defunct airline. many £59,000 through CWM, £39,000 below a certain level’.”of others discover the value of their in“They will have to file a claim to last month obliterating life savings. realising he had lost that trustees sent His money, and France, was vestments had plummeted the joint administrators for all heartbroken Brits’ had transferred when his pension across Spain and the money they are owed,” said Many of them UK pensions a statement. ‘profession- dramatically. their private However, a source close to a spokesman. believe it. I have put into high-risk assets, it has the case insisted: ‘There are company, whose “I couldn’t of pounds,” al investor only’ “It has not been determined through the 15:36 lost thousands is highly possible legal action has now1 al-16/06/2017 Untitled-1.pdf been claimed. still many customers who are may be taken by some parties (yet) how much money will be boss Darren Kirby revealed the victim, asking to legedly moved to Australia. happy with their pension port- against CWM, based out of available to creditors.” folio.’ headquarters in Alicante, and Andalucia-based tax specialist its executives.

Angie Brooks, a leading expert Both the office in Javea and on pension liberation schemes the website have recently shut. and the founder of Pension The group were pictured celLife, has now launched a fight ebrating at a charity ball as reSPECIALIZING IN: C to help get victims’ money cently as March this year. back.

CRIMINAL LAW When the Olive Press spoke M She is working alongside pen- to boss Kirby he ‘definitively’ CIVIL LAW sion trustees Trafalgar Inter- denied responsibility over the Y crash. “I have lost my world,” BANKING (FLOOR CLAUSE) he said.

CM FAMILY LAW A close associate of Kirby’s said former CWM staff were MY all ‘very upset’.

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Opinion Page 6

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e-mail: advocat1@demicco.es 307 533 mobile number: 636 WWW.DEMICCO.CH

Ave de Gabriel Roca 4, Palma

Continues on Page 7

Who’s paying us?

EXCLUSIVE

CONFUSION reigns over who should foot the bill for Mallorca hotels hit by the collapse of airline Monarch.

Balearic hotels are facing a €10million bill over the collapse that saw the emergency repatriation of over 110,000 back to the UK, many from Palma.

Administrator KPMG told the Olive Press ‘the debt owed by Monarch to hoteliers will rank as an unsecured claim’ against the defunct airline.

“They will have to file a claim to the joint administrators for all the money they are owed,” said a spokesman.

“It has not been determined (yet) how much money will be available to creditors.”

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HUNDREDS of British expats are battling to retrieve their pensions after losing up to £20 million in a failed OFF TO OZ: Boss Kirby pension investment and (above) team at scheme.

Spanish-based finan- March charity bash cial advisory firm Continental Wealth Man- Many of them had agement (CWM) folded transferred their prilast month obliteratvate UK pensions Untitled-1.pdf 1 16/06/2017 ing many heartbroken through15:36 the company, Brits’ life savings.

Avda. Madrid, 24, 03724 Moraira - Alicante

whose boss Darren Kirby has now allegedly moved to Australia.

One Costa-del-Solbased expat told the Olive Press he sunk £59,000 through CWM, only realising he had lost £39,000 when his pension trustees sent a statement.

“I couldn’t believe it. I have lost thousands of pounds,” revealed the victim, asking to remain anonymous.

“The adviser kept telling me, ‘This is guaranteed, it can’t go below a certain level’.”

His money, and that of others across Spain and France, was put into high-risk ‘professional investor only’ assets, it has been claimed.

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It is believed at least 300 of CWM’s 900 clients have had their pension pots decimated, with victims shocked to later discover the value of their investments had plummeted dramatically.

However, a source close to the case insisted: ‘There are still many customers who are happy with their pension portfolio.’

Andalucia-based tax specialist Angie Brooks, a leading expert on pension liberation schemes and the founder of Pension Life, has now launched a fight to help get victims’ money back.

She is working alongside pension trustees Trafalgar International and Momentum Pensions.

“People are terribly distressed,” Granadabased Brooks told the Olive Press. “They have lost large amounts of their retirement savings.”

She added: “Some of these people are going

to end up back in Britain on benefits.”

“I have nothing but praise for Tony Barnett [Trafalgar MD] and Stewart Davies [Momentum chef executive]. They have been magnificent in trying to recoup people’s money.”

The Olive Press understands it is highly possible legal action may be taken by some parties against CWM,

based out of headquarters in Alicante, and its executives.

Both the office in Javea and the website have recently shut.

When the Olive Press spoke to boss Kirby he ‘definitively’ denied responsibility over the crash. “I have lost my world,” he said.

A close associate of Kirby’s told the Olive Press former CWM staff were all ‘very upset’.

“It is still quite raw for them, and they are working out what to do next,” he said.

Opinion Page 6

former member of staff. one “It was a prestigious place but she day they just shut the door,” said, asking not to be named.

Victims had raised fears about being NO SHOW: Darren Kirby asked to sign blank dealing instrucintions and their pensions being res. “It is a blank cheque to invest vested in high-risk assets which paid wherever, whenever. large commissions.

“It is very worrying as they were One pensioner based on the Coshe investing clients’ money in highly ta Blanca told the Olive Press risky investments as well as dubious lost €210,000 after transferringa funds just because they paid the hi€470,000 despite stating he had gher commissions.” by low to medium risk attitude.

He added that losses sustained “I was asked, ‘Can you sign this investors should however, be recodetaithe in fill faiblank form. We will act verable as the investments that ls.’ I did that trusting they would led to perform, or went bust, were in my best interests,” he said. out linked to life insurance policies. got “They should have been looking When the Olive Press finally for me and they were just feathering hold of Kirby in October 2017, he their own nests. To me they knew denied all responsibility. “I have lost what they were doing.” my world,” he said.

Lawyer Antonio Flores, whose firm Lawbird is representing a number Are you a victim or former staff of victims, said signing blank invest- member? Do you know more about worrying’. ‘very was at ment sheets of the case? Contact the Olive Press “This negates the very essence newsdesk@theolivepress.es financial advisory services,”said Flo-

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England.”

The Olive Press exclusively revealed how CWM abruptly folded in 2017, salosing hundreds of expats’ life vings in the process. the The firm, which was based out of Marriott Hotel, in Denia, had ‘eight to ten’ telesales staff and clients sca-a ttered around Europe, revealed

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Prices rise for two consecutive years, while mortgage values continue to grow

Voted

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By Joshua Parfitt

THE beleaguered boss of a failed wealth management company which allegedly lost expats more than €20 to million has ignored a summons court.

Darren Kirby, of Alicante-based Continental Wealth Management (CWM), failed to turn up at Denia court on March 26. he According to Olive Press sources was due to turn up, alongside former business partners, who did turn up.

The case involves a trio of investors, of who lost substantial amounts in folded money when the company 2017. foKirby allegedly fled to Australia llowing the collapse, finally returning to Alicante last year.

“Darren has been sent a Burofax which he didn’t sign for, so the court will now have to pursue him in other ways,” a source said.

“A judge is dealing with this and added. he review,” it’s under legal in “We understand he is currently

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HE average property price in Spain has grown for two consecutive years for the first time in a decade.

The national average house price rose from between 3.9% to 8.4%, according to various sources.

Along the Mediterranean coasts and on the islands, where most foreigners buy, the average price hike has been 4.06%, according to Tinsa, Spain’s leading property appraisal company.

But the figures have mostly not yet made up for the big drops during the long six year recession, with the exception of the

after expat Judge set to take further steps fails boss of suspect investment company to turn up at court

Pointing the way to two great Easter travel excursions from the hills of Javea to the wilds of Galicia

SALES & RENTALS SPECIALISTS

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WOAH: Emerging from the rock, this stunning home in Valencia is trademark Fran Silvestre, a Spanish architect who is continuing to make his mark in the architectural world.

See Fran-tastic page VI

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April 11th - April 24th 2019

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Into exile FORMER King Juan Carlos has announced he is leaving Spain following the latest scandal surrounding alleged corrupt business practices.

The royal Juan Carlos de Borbon will not be giving up his title but will be leaving the Zarzuela palace, and the country.

In a letter to his reigning son King Felipe VI, he said his ‘thoughtful decision’ to live outside Spain came in the face of ‘public repercussion over certain past events’ in his private life.

He also said he wanted ‘to contribute’ to his son being able to carry out his role ‘with tranquillity.’

The self-imposed exile comes after several investigations opened by Swiss and Spanish prosecutors into the fortune of Juan Carlos in Switzerland and alleged corrupt business practices.

His lawyer said that the former king will continue to make himself available to Spanish prosecutors despite leaving the country.

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PENSION OUTRAGE

CONFUSION reigns over who through failed should foot the bill for Mallorca investment hotels hit by the collapse of airscheme line Monarch.

Balearic hotels are facing a EXCLUSIVE €10million bill over the colBy Joe Duggan lapse that saw the emergency repatriation of over 110,000 back to the UK, many from HUNDREDS of BritPalma.

Administrator KPMG told the ish expats are battling Olive Press ‘the debt owed by to retrieve their penMonarch to hoteliers will rank sions after losing up to as an unsecured claim’ against £20 million in a failed pension investment OFF TO OZ: Boss Kirby the defunct airline. and (above) team at “They will have to file a claim to scheme. the joint administrators for all Spanish-based finan- March charity bash the money they are owed,” said cial advisory firm Continental Wealth Mana spokesman.

“It has not been determined agement (CWM) folded Many of them had (yet) how much money will be last month obliterat- transferred their private UK Untitled-1.pdf pensions available to creditors.”

1 16/06/2017 ing many 15:36 heartbroken

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They’ve been getting stoned for centuries.

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SEE PAGE 6

SPAIN’S prime minister has accused Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont of causing ‘confusion’ after signing a declaration of independence.

Mariano Rajoy demanded he clarify if he had really declared independence following Tuesday’s nail biting address to the Catalan parliament.

If so, Rajoy insisted he could trigger Article 155 of Spain’s constitution to allow Madrid to take direct control of Catalunya.

“There is an urgent need to put an end to the situation that Catalunya is going through - to

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Too gobby A BEACH club where a DJ was videoed spitting Jagermeister over revellers has been s h u t down.

Mayor of Torremolinos Jose Ortiz has ordered the Kokun Ocean Club to close its doors for 15 days under COVID-19 regulations.

He said that such behaviour would not be tolerated, saying that ‘those who do not comply with the rules will be sanctioned.’

In addition to the closure, a fine is also set to be issued.

Now the Junta de Andalucia regional government is deciding whether or not to track down and test each party goer.

In the 22-second long video, none of the people involved were wearing masks or social distancing.

NEWS

www.theolivepress.es FOOTAGE has emerged of Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner driving a battered VW campervan across Spain soon before the little girl disappeared.

The convicted sex-offender is seen laughing and joking in the T3 Westfalia, which has long been regarded as a potentially vital piece of evidence in the case.

In the video clip released by the Mail Online he is seen giving three young German travellers a lift from Malaga on the Costa del Sol to Vera in Almeria.

He had started his journey from his base in Praia da Luz before taking the trio on board.

Just five weeks later, on May 3, 2007, Maddie vanished from an apartment in the Portuguese resort, where Brueckner lived for seven years.

One of the men in the video, identified only as Tomas, told the Mail Online of his horror when years later he realised that

Laughing monster

Convicted rapist and Maddie case suspect videoed joking on Spain trip five weeks before she vanished challenge to transport a caravan trailer from Faro in the Algarve to a destination in the German region of Saxony, surviving on just €10 a day. They could only use vans and trucks to tow the caravan that were volunteered by members of the public.

Brueckner got involved when a friend tipped off the trio that he might be able to help. The then 30-year-old told the men

By Dilip Kuner

the ‘good Samaritan’ who had given him and his two friends a lift was in fact a convicted rapist and the prime suspect in the Maddie case.

The three people – two prize winners and a DJ – had accepted a German radio station

Alive and kicking

FAN: Frank turns 102

LIFELONG Liverpool fan, Edmund ‘Frank’ Francis Woodhouse turns 102 at the end of the month - and says the secret to a long and happy life is ‘moderation and football’.

Born on August 23, 1918 ‘Franky Boy’ has lived his life to the full even serving as a flight engineer for the Royal Navy during the Second World War. He married sweetheart Selina in 1952 after a chance meeting in a lift at the Post Office where he worked.

The pair remained happily mar-

ried for over 66 years and had a son and daughter together.

After Selina passed away in 2018, Frank moved to Malaga where he enjoys the company of friends - and cheering on Liverpool from his armchair.

he sold cars in Portugal and had borrowed the Westfalia.

The Olive Press has revealed that Brueckner was no stranger to Spain and had several times visited the hippy community in the remote Granada municipality of Orgiva.

For the past few days German police – who believe Maddie is dead – have been excavating a vegetable plot in Hanover to uncover a ‘secret cellar’.

The Olive Press website last week revealed that Maddie may still be alive and never left Portugal.

The sensational claim was made in a Portuguese national TV documentary.

In the incredible claims, a Portuguese teacher told the ‘Sexta as 9’ programme that she is convinced she saw Maddie as a teenager in 2017.

“She told me she is sure she is alive,” RTP journalist Sandra Felgueiras, who anchors the Panorama-style show, revealed.

“It’s an amazing interview and the Portuguese police are not discounting it. They say it is not impossible,” she added.

“In fact they have confirmed to

August 5th - August 18th 2020

5

NEWS IN BRIEF No place in the sun

EVIL: Rapist Brueckner me that a line of investigation has been opened on the sighting,” she added.

The claims centre around the female teacher, named Maria, who is convinced that she saw a 13-year-old Madeleine in a supermarket on the Algarve, in July 2017.

She became convinced a week ago when she discovered that the supermarket Apolonia, in Praia da Gale, near Albufeira, was just 200 metres from where main suspect Christian Brueckner and his then-girlfriend Nicole Fehlinger, both German, were accused of stealing €100,000 in November 2007.

The teacher, who studied German, said she had been standing three feet from the girl in the supermarket and had a very good look at her.

“I remember perfectly as I looked her straight in the eye, they were blue, maybe a little green, but I completely fixed on the right eye and its imperfection.”

Did you see Brueckner in Spain? If so, contact newsdesk@theolivepress.es.

POPULAR property hunt show Place in the Sun has been cancelled due to new quarantine restrictions, leaving presenter Laura Hamilton stranded in Malaga.

Tragic deaths IN just 40 days eight people have drowned in Malaga, including a 20 month old baby who fell into a pool.

Washout A POOL party in Sevilla has triggered a COVID-19 outbreak amongst 40 guests and becomes the second outbreak in the province since lockdown lifted.

Casa amor LOVE Island’s Amy Hart was the latest celebrity to get some R&R in Marbella this week and was spotted partying at Nikki Beach before recovering at her villa in Mijas.

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

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OPINION

NEWS FEATURE

Paradise

Missing the point NO stranger to the courts, alt-right extremist Tommy Robinson caused a stir online last week when he served up the news that he was ‘unsafe’ and ‘fleeing’ to Spain after an alleged arson attack on his wife’s car in the war-torn county of Bedfordshire.

Speaking from the padel net at Marbella’s plush Manolo Santana Racquets Club, the 37-year-old whined that his family no longer felt secure in the UK and grumbled that relocating with his wife and children ‘was pretty hard to do’.

It’s all pretty rich coming from a full time rabble-rouser and former leader of the English Defence League.

Robinson – real name, Stephen Yaxley-Lennon - is well known for taking aim at people who dare to escape dangerous situations and who strive to make better lives for themselves. He may well be a dab hand at padel - but it looks like when it comes to immigration, he is completely missing the point.

And while there’s a chance he wouldn’t know hypocrisy if it whacked him in the face, we also have a sneaking suspicion he is playing a game with us all.

There’s no doubt that Robinson is extremely childish, as evidence by his puerile online insults and the elaborate game of hide and seek he’s been playing across Spain in recent weeks.

Listening to him bang on is a surreal experience. We don’t, as it happens, struggle with the idea of a British expat taking an anti-immigrant stance - it’s not exactly rare. But the zeal with which he blasts his critics as ‘snowflakes’ is near comical.

An attention seeker first and a right-wing activist second, Robinson previously stated that if a person ‘does not speak our language, he should not be in the United Kingdom’.

If he wants to convince us that he’s any smarter than the bumbling monkeys he came across while shuffling his ‘fat little legs’ up the Rock in sliders, then the next time he thinks about blasting minorities or thumping padel balls at luxe resorts, we hope he instead puts himself in a shaded corner, shuts up and downloads Dialingo.

It’s time for him to stop playing the court jester - he now needs to listen and learn.

Publisher / Editor

Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es Dilip Kuner dilip@theolivepress.es

Laurence Dollimore laurence@theolivepress.es

Kirsty McKenzie kirsty@olivepress.es

John Culatto johnc@theolivepress.es

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Lydia Spencer-Elliott lydia@theolivepress.es

Simon Wade simon@theolivepress.es

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I

T’S one of the last unspoiled paradises along the Cadiz coastline. A four-kilometre crescent of soft white sand and Caribbean blue water, fringed by a scattering of beach bars and surf schools.

Until now, this little piece of heaven has managed to dodge the scheming plans of humans. But that could soon change as the wildlife haven is under threat from property developers plotting to build

60 houses and a 240-room hotel along its pristine shore.

This February, revised plans were approved by Tarifa town hall for ‘Montevaqueros’.

Due to be completed in Spring 2025, the project by Valdeva-

queros Pueblo SL has sparked outrage ever since it was originally approved in 2012.

Demonstrations attended by 20,000 protestors prompted legislative change that completely forbid the building of

Torture by red tape Lydia Spencer-Elliott finds out what Brexit really means for Brits trying to stay legal in Spain and becomes ensnared in bureaucratic horror story

By Lydia Spencer-Elliott

T

HERE are certain things in life that simply don’t make sense: Donald Trump’s speeches, tomatoes being a fruit and the fact that Beyonce still hasn’t divorced Jay-Z. But nothing leaves me more completely flummoxed than the Spanish bureaucratic system.

I thought I empathised with the frustrations of immigrants in Britain.

But like childbirth or being kicked in the balls, you can never fully understand the pain until it happens to you.

To permanently live, work and eat patatas bravas in Spain, expats must have a TIE residence card, which automatically assigns a foreigner’s identity number (N.I.E) alongside it.

In 2019, 365,967 Brits officially registered in Spain. But since the UK collectively gave EU membership the boot, our VIP pass through the paperwork maze has been ripped from our self-entitled clutches and red tape has become an instrument of torture to garrot us with.

First I visit Estepona police station, but in the current corona climate, walk-ins are a no-go.

Online, the only appointments available are in Ronda, so I accept my fate and fill up the car with petrol.

It becomes apparent on arrival that Manuel from Fawlty Towers has left the hospitality industry and taken up a position processing immigration paperwork. Here, ‘I know nothing’ isn’t an excuse but a solemn promise.

Every person has the memory of an Alzheimer’s patient, the personality of a door knob and the attitude of Lauren Cooper.

Bothered? They are not.

With a deadpan glare, Manuel tells me to

CROSSROADS: Expats left struggling with Spanish red tape go to Malaga. When I enquire as to why, his reply stings: “Because you chose Brexit,” he claims.

I assure him, I did not. Anyway, isn’t Britain in the transition period until December 31?

“Please leave my office,” he says.

Of course, the trouble began in England.

Somewhere amongst the onslaught of debates and negotiations, I had been sold an optimistic lie: Brits could break up with their European partners, keep the perks of a multinational relationship and live our merry lives while taking back control of our country - whatever the hell that really means.

This type of lie is called an ‘informational cascade’.

In other words, it is repeated so many times it is spoken into existence. The lie gains

credibility, yet it is actually an avalanche of misinformation. And, in the Comisaria de Policia, there’s a stick of reality dynamite ready to blow it to smithereens.

When I call the office in Malaga, they tell me to go back to Estepona where my quest began. And so, the bureaucratic tumble dryer starts up again, hurtling me round in circles while bashing my head against the sides with a Catch-22. There is no semblance of sanity to this procedure and it progresses at the speed of a three-toed sloth; a snail moves faster.

Alas, it is already time to face the consequences for our country’s democratic choice. When looking in at the EU members club from outside in the cold, it is clear life is going to get a lot tougher for Brits wanting to remain abroad.

www.theolivepress.es

in peril

August 5th - August 18th 2020

7

As plans for a hotel fronting the beach biosphere reserve of Valdevaqueros rear their ugly head yet again, Lydia Spencer-Elliott heads to Tarifa to take a closer look

‘homes or any other type of constructions, buildings or facilities,’ apart from those relating to conservation or education.

Undeterred by public outcry, the developers re-submitted their proposal, scaled down from the original plans for a 1,400-room hotel and 350 homes. This 90% decrease in the buildable DETERMINED: Tarifa residents fight to save Valdevaqueros area has been promoted as a ‘benchmark for ecological urbanisation’. But locals remain cion will also affect the nearby during lockdown, allowed dozless than convinced.

“Even if they want to disguise Rio Vaya, where wildlife such ens of previously banned deit as sustainable, their project as flamingos rest on their mi- velopment projects to begin is doomed to failure. It’s clear- gratory route from the Sahara. up and down the Andalucia ly illegal because endangered Tarifa mayor Juan Andrés Gil coast. has been ac- Claiming that it will blend bats and other cused by those aesthetically with the enviwildlife live on against the proj- ronment, the Montevaqueros that land,” says It is not ect of pushing development consists of lowNoelia Jurado plans ahead de- rise, low-density buildings of the protest Marbella and spite their neg- with tourist facilities and pubgroup Salvemos it should not ative environ- lic amenities. But residents Valdevaqueros.

“Building on look like it say mental impact. are more concerned with preEconomic down- serving the area than profit or grassland where protestors turn in the town commercial growth. bats hunt jeophas prompted “It is absolutely outrageous ardises the enthe relaxation of that these plans have been tire colony no matter how many homes they construction restriction laws approved,” says Jurado. “They build. Tarifa is an attraction in order to grow tourism and just aren’t in the public interfor its nature. It is not Marbel- increase employment levels est. Salvemos Valdevaqueros la and it shouldn’t look like it.” in the area. It comes as the has collected tens of thouThe heavily protected beach so-called ‘LISTA law’, passed sands of signatures, received has a high ecological value and is home to endangered horseshoe bats and lesser mouse-eared bats, amongst other wildlife. Listed by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve, the land joins together two natural parks: El Estrecho and Los Alcornocales. Construc-

Olive Press online ‘Spain’s best English news website’

We lead, others follow

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hundreds of messages from supporters and sent mass emails to the Junta de Andalucia government. From people inside and outside Andalucia, support for the cause has been overwhelming.”

Refusing to be defeated, protestors have taken their objections to the European Union.

Aside from wildlife preservation, residents are concerned by the overpopulation that more homes in the area could bring.

“Tarifa’s infrastructure is already hugely stretched,” a local business owner told the Olive Press. “Traffic, water, sewage issues - the area simply can’t handle any more people.”

e at the Olive Press like to think we are at the forefront of English language investigative journalism in Spain.

And we are glad to see that the mainstream British media seems to agree with us.

When they need to find out more about what is affecting visiting Brits and the expat population in Spain, the Olive Press is more often than not the first source they talk to.

Over the past few weeks our reporters have been called on by such publications as The Daily Mail, The Sun, Mail on Sunday and The Daily Telegraph to investigate and delve deeper into the hot topics of the day.

Editor and owner of the Olive Press, Jon Clarke together with Digital Editor Laurence Dollimore have broken some of the biggest stories about Madeleine McCann in recent weeks.

Where they led, not just the British press but also media outlets world-wide have followed. They tracked down prime suspect Christian Brueckner’s former best friend to the Andalucian town of Orgiva, identified his former home in Portugal and uncovered sensational details about his ex-girlfriend and their life together.

TV too has recognised the authoritative nature of our journalists. Sky News turned to our News Editor Dilip Kuner (above left) when they needed first hand reaction to the news that returning UK holidaymakers would have to self-isolate for 14 days.

We at the Olive Press recognise there is only one reason we are respected so much by the British press – and that is the quality of our staff.

We hire professional journalists and give them the chance to do what they do best – dig deep to get to the heart of the matter.

And so we are delighted to introduce our latest two recruits. Kirsty McKenzie (above right) is a talented and committed reporter who has many years experience on the Daily Record in Scotland.

Lydia Spencer-Elliott (left) is at the start of her career but already has experience as an intern with The Times, Sky and Reuters.

We wish them a big welcome as the latest in a long line of quality journalists to work at the Olive Press.

The top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are: pledge not to cancel flights to and 1- Ryanair from Spain after announcing mass losses (20,464) right leader Tommy Robinson flees 2- FarEngland to set up new life as immigrant in Spain (19,665) - Maddie McCann prime suspect Christian 3drove Brueckner filmed laughing and joking as he through Spain just weeks before little girl vanished (19,519)

in Spain’s Benidorm is set for 4- Leadingaeyesore massive makeover (13,717) Spain sees worst COVID-19 figures in EU as 5-more than 1000 test positive for second day in a row (13,456)

THREATENED: Flamingos could soon face construction disruption as the bulldozers move in to start a property scheme

Get in touch today at sales@theolivepress.es or call us at 00 34 951273575 for a special quote

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August 5th August 18th 2020

Scorching idea

A RESERVOIR in the Spanish region of Extremadura is the site of Spain’s first grid-connected FLOATING photovoltaic solar power plant.

Guillermo Fernández Vara, President of the Junta (Regional Government) of Extremadura, and Renewable energy group ACCIONA’s President José Manuel Entrecanales today officially opened the plant on the Sierra Brava reservoir.

The demonstration facility consists of 3,000 photovoltaic modules of different types, distributed across five floating structures with different layouts, orientation and inclination. The aim is to analyse their performance and find out the installation and maintenance costs of the different solutions.

Theplant is off the southern shore of the reservoir in the municipality of Zorita (Cáceres) and covers 12,000m2, or just 0.07% of the total surface area

Floating solar first for Spain as reservoir becomes power station

of the reservoir.

The environmental protection measures in the project include the installation of two floating ‘islands’ to encourage birds to nest and the provision of nesting boxes for the lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni), a protected species that lives in the area.

The monitoring programme will examine the interaction between the birds and the fish stock in the reservoir with the

plant and the support measures.

ACCIONA’s new floating plant has been designed to test a range of solar panels, inclinations and floating systems in a combined manner and in a real environment. Among the most novel elements are the double-sided panels, modules with a transparent rear surface to allow sunlight to act on the reverse side.

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One Spanish-based company that is making a real difference to climate change

A

San Pedro-based team of 10 is on a double mission: to save the planet and to save you money at the same time.

Mariposa Energía launched at the end of last year and it’s shaking up the electricity market by providing cheaper energy tariffs, while also providing 100% certified green energy, coming exclusively from Spanish wind farms.

In fact the Mariposa Energía team is so confident it can save households and businesses money that they will prove it. Simply send them a recent energy bill and they will calculate the amount you would have saved if your electricity was supplied via Mariposa Energía.

Consumers who switch with Mariposa Energía, not only benefit from cheaper bills, they also have the knowledge that they are reducing their carbon footprint with one of the cleanest forms of electricity available.

Electricity from wind farms creates among the lowest levels of environmental impact of any source of electricity. Unlike traditional fossil fuels, there are no emissions that pollute the air and cause greenhouse gases, the wind turbines take up far less land space than a traditional power plant and they do not consume large quantities of water for either generating electricity or for cooling purposes.

Plus wind energy is a renewable source of energy, meaning it is constantly replenished and will never run out.

CEO and founder of Mariposa Energía, Martin Tye, said: “Saving the planet is something that myself and the whole team at Mariposa Energía are passionate about. We know it can often be difficult to prioritise our planet but our cheaper electricity tariffs give everyone the opportunity to save money and also to do their bit to help protect the future of our planet at the same time.”

While switching energy suppliers is common practice in many European countries it is a relatively new concept in

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Spain and it can often be difficult to imagine how it can be achieved without the need for a lot of work to be done.

But the process of switching with Mariposa Energía is really straightforward. The team simply make the switch at the source and send their cleaner, greener energy down the same cables, meaning there’s no need for any new cables or equipment or for any work to be done.

“It’s literally easier than flicking a switch. You won’t even notice it’s happened, until you start receiving cheaper energy bills,” Martin said.

And you can expect those energy bills to be a lot easier to understand, which was a key point for Mariposa Energía.

“Electricity bills are notoriously difficult to understand and it’s often challenging to know how much energy you have consumed.

That’s why we’ve made our bills simple, straightforward and easy to understand.”

Another unique point about Mariposa Energía is their approach to customer service.

Instead of having to deal with a faceless call centre, all Mariposa Energía clients have their own named point of contact, who knows their account and will support them through the process.

“We’re helping businesses and households alike to save money. As long as you spend €25 or more per month on your electricity we’re confident we can save you money.

Some of our clients are saving as much as 35% on their electricity bills.

“If you’re a business that consumes a high amount of energy, such as a restaurant, that could make a big different to your monthlyEnergía fixed costs and overheads.”

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To find out how much you could save, the friendly English, Spanish and Swedish team can be contacted at their San Pedro offices on +34 951 120 A 830 or at info@mariposaenergia.es CONTACT US FOR QUOTE TODAY Or visit www.mariposaenergia.es for more information.

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LA CULTURA

Missing link

TWO sharp stones discovered at the Atapuerca archeological site in Burgos are being hailed as the missing link in a chain of events going back nearly 1.5 million years.

The quartzite stones were carved by a hominid about 600,000 years ago and provide the evidence that humans have lived in the area for 1.4 million years.

Spanish paper El Pais reported Maria Martinon-Torres, director of the National Research Centre on Human Evolution as saying: “Thanks to this discovery Atapuerca is the only site that can tell the entire history of human evolution in Europe with all of its human species.”

The two tools were found at the Gran Dolina dig and are believed to have been used for cutting meat.

Do you have a what’s on?

Send your informa tion to newsdesk@theolivepr ess.es

Culture or cruelty

By Lydia Spencer-Elliott

BULLFIGHTING represents a contentious part of Spanish culture. Some think it is tradition, while others consider it pure cruelty.

As the first bullfight since lockdown took place last week near Madrid in Avila, the debate on whether the ‘sport’ still deserves its place in Spanish culture rages on.

Matador Octavio Chacón pranced around the bullring

As crowds are sparse at the first corrida since lockdown, activists claim there is no demand for the sport in modern day Spain with abandon as he enticed the animal left and right.

Many cheered but activists were also present to film the event and highlight the gruesome reality for others online.

This was not the only reason there was a strange atmo-

sphere in the stands. Social distancing measures were in place, meaning all spectators stood one and a half metres apart and wore masks for the duration of the event.

The arena, as seen in the video, was mostly empty on July

Opera opens

DISTANCED: Plenty of space for the audience

MADRID’S famous Teatro Real has opened its doors after the coronavirus lockdown.

It hosted a production of Verdi’s La Traviata complete with full orchestra and choir. COVID-19 safety measures were put in place and the audience capacity cut in half to enable the theatre to throw open its doors for the first time in 100 days. Before the curtain went up Spanish journalist Iñaki Gabilondo made a short speech in the name of the theatre and called for a moment of silence to remember the victims of the coronavirus pandemic. To allow for social distancing, the orchestra pit was doubled in size and the interval time was increased to 40 minutes so that the pit and the stage could be disinfected.

9

August 5th - August 18th 2020

what’s on

C

ulture Vultures ODISEO, is a new project that Jose Maria Cordoba says was inspired by his love of Homer's Odyssey and James Joyce's Ulysses. Currently on show at the Museum of the Ciudad de Fuengirola.

N 19. Many live events have struggled to adapt to a new normal since the pandemic.

However, protestors say this lack of interest in the event reaffirms their argument that the sport should stop receiving government funding. The National Association for the Defense of Animals (NAFA) claims bullfighting is increasingly rejected by society.

Currently, bullfights receive funding from the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Autonomous communities, municipalities, the European Union (EU), and city/town councils.

Videos taken by the group and posted online show the matador repeatedly stabbing the bull before the animal slowly dies from injuries to its nose and mouth.

ight of wine Competa, near Malaga will throw their annual Noche Del Vino party on August 15 to herald the start of the grape harvest.

G

iddy Up Race down to the beaches of Sanlucar de Barrameda in Cadiz to watch one of Europe's oldest equestrian contests.

B

rilliant Barcelona Held on August 15-21, Festa Major de Gracia is well worth the trip to BCN. The 2020 event will be a tribute to health care workers and will include music shows, parades, fireworks and much more.

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LA CULTURA

Resurrecting

By Lydia Spencer-Elliott

I

F Braveheart taught us anything, it’s that a rebel with a vendetta against the English monarchy must be fearless, persistent and pretty nifty with a sword. In the mountains of 16th-century Ireland there existed such a man; a warrior with determination, valour and Spanish soldiers on his side, who lost his life in the pursuit of freedom.

The story of ‘Red Hugh’ has huge importance for Spain and the northern city of Valladolid, where he was believed to be buried in the chapel grounds of a Franciscan convent. But when the monastery was leveled in 1836, the convent and the bones of Red Hugh were not there. Now, archeologists are searching for the skeleton of the eight-toed Irish rebel beneath a branch of Banco Santander in the city centre.

The red-headed rebel was born into the powerful O’Donnell dynasty in County Donegal and fought valiantly for control of his nation against Queen Elizabeth I. But, rather than a Mel Gibson historical fiction epic, the chieftain’s bravery in the Nine

Years’ War would be immortalised by the 1960s Disney film - The Fighting Prince of Donegal.

Based on the novel Red Hugh: Prince of Donegal by Robert T. Reilly, the film depicts the Irish leader’s ascension to the throne after the death of his father. Like all good heroes, the fictional Hugh successfully multi-tasks his preparation for battle while simultaneously courting his love interest, Kathleen McSweeney.

Some critics thought the tale was predictable and simplistic, others embraced it as unostentatious fun.

Whatever the reception, one fact remains indisputable: the reality was more grisly than Disney audiences could have stomached.

Warning

At just 15 years old, Red Hugh was kidnapped by the English army and imprisoned in Dublin Castle. His abduction served as a warning to the O’Donnell clan: if you rebel against the English monarchy you will face the consequences.

But after five years of captivity, he escaped with help from a loyal friend of his father. The journey home during a bleak Irish winter nearly cost the renegade his life. Red Hugh recovered from severe fatigue, but lost his two big toes to frostbite.

The chieftain was quick to begin invasions to reclaim Irish land that had been commandeered by the English in his absence. As a fellow Catholic territory fighting to rid itself of protestants, Spain’s King Phillip III supported the effort and sent boats of warriors to Kinsale.

When Spanish ships docked at County Cork, English troops surrounded the armada and killed hundreds of men in a bloody battle.

A persuasive nego-

tiator, Red Hugh ventured to Spain after the siege to plead with the king to continue his support and send further soldiers to Ireland. But the mission proved fatal. Before help could be granted, Red Hugh mysteriously died a few miles from the city. Some said an infection killed the 29-yearold warrior, others claimed he was poisoned by a British spy.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

by Suzanne Collins

P

anem, it is 64 years before The Hunger Games trilogy and the country is still rebuilding following its bitter war with the districts.

Eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow, the future tyrannical president of Panem, comes from an influential family that has fallen on hard times. With their fortune almost gone they are surviving on good name alone.

On the morning of the reaping for the tenth annual Hunger Games, Snow hopes to regain glory by mentoring the winning tribute, however, when he is given the female tribute from district 12, he realises that the odds are not forever in his favour.

Snow must do everything in his power to climb the ladder of success at all costs.

Collins proves she is a master of world building and character development in this long- awaited Hunger Games Prequel. €24.90 The Bookshop San Pedro, www.thebookshop.es

His body was taken to the royal palace in Valladolid with pomp and ceremony. A four-wheeled hearse drove the corpse to its resting place, surrounded by guards, state officers and flaming torches to signify admiration.

As a mark of respect, the king honored Red Hugh with a special burial in the Chapel of Wonders - a Franciscan convent where explorer Christo-

Train of thought BBC TV viewers got a taste of Spanish culture when former UK Secretary of State for Defence Michael Portillo launched his latest programme.

Sporting his trademark colourful clothing, he travelled to Spain for the first episode in a new series of Great Continental Railway Journeys.

It was a deeply personal journey for Portillo.

He carried with him a copy of Bradshaw’s guide book, from 1936 – the year that the Spanish Civil War erupted and most travellers to the country were volunteer soldiers or war reporters.

He stopped in Salamanca, where Portillo’s father, Luis, worked as an anti-fascist law-

TRIP: Michael Portillo yer before seeking asylum in Britain.

There he was shown his father’s secret political file before he headed off to Madrid and Aragon.

Here he explored and shared with viewers different aspects of Spanish culture.

Do you have a what’s on?

Red Hugh

Send your informa tion to newsdesk@theolivepr ess.es

August 5th - August 18th 2020

The bones of a fearless Irish chieftain could be entombed beneath a branch of Banco Santander in northern Spain

HERO: Red Hugh is regarded as one of

LEGEND: Archaeologists are trying to find Red Hugh who has been remembered in statues (left)

pher Columbus would be buried a century later.

Now, nearly two centuries after his remains were reported missing from the site, the dig for answers and the true location of his burial chapel continues beneath a street in Valladolid where 16 skeletons have been unearthed.

Relatives of the rebel have offered DNA samples to help identify which belong to the chieftain.

Archeologists will also have to study the height, sex, and age of each skeleton for clues - unless one is discovered with two toes missing.

An escapologist even in his

afterlife, Red Hugh has become an Irish symbol of Gaelic resistance.

The discovery of his bones could finally confirm whether infection or English cunning brought the chieftain to his suspicious demise in Spain.

11

Ireland’s greatest heroes

LETTERS

12 Check out our issues online at www.theolivepress.es

Bonkers Boris

Olive Press readers respond to new 14 day quarantine for tourists returning to the UK from Spain - Online, (July 27)

Mallorca Issue 85 OLIVE PRESS MALLORCA

The Bonnie Christian Did Maddie suspect Brueckner have & Clyde a female accomplice?

Page 8

FREE

BONG: Bell tolls for tourists

Cashback

BRITS BRAWL!

CONSUMERS’ group Which? has demanded action to make airlines speed up refunds for cancelled flights due to COVID-19.

It claims that many of the victims are ‘suffering serious financial and emotional distress’ as they struggle to claim refunds for flights.

The group has compiled a dossier of more than 14,000 refund complaints that it has now handed over to the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as part of its review of how airlines have handled cancellations. They are collectively worth more than €5.6 million.

VIOLENCE ERUPTED: Boozed-up

troublemakers turned away from party strip cause mayhem in Magaluf as they search for parties BOOZED-UP Brits are back causing havoc on the streets fined during the crackdown for closed.

By Kirsty McKenzie of Magaluf as bars and clubs flouting the COVID-19 restric- hotspot The popular German of Calle de la Cerveza on the party strip reopen their jeering at tions. on the Playa one another before Spot doors for the first time since turning their checks are now being shut down de Palma was also attention to secuin the same order. the start of the pandemic. rity staff on the Plaza Empori- carried out regularly by the The measure has sparked anHolidaymakers were seen um.

Policia Local and community ger throwing punches and jump- According inspectors across the island, havefrom local businesses who ing up on parked cars after Mallorca, to the Diario de on the orders of the Balearic tive had to close with a collecthe young Brits had Government. lawsuit now being mountgoing on a post-lockdown lash been prevented A total of 24 bars ed against the government. from accessing were following the easing of UK the square’s bars due to being the dealt a fine for breaking A regional government spokestravel restrictions. governmental rules under man heavily intoxicated. said: “The government Revellers brazenly flaunted Tensions ‘a new normality.’ has decided to extend to two have been mounting social distancing rules and in recent Infringements included ex- more weeks since the UK ceeding streets the provisional ditched their masks for a night Government the set capacity, a lack closure on the town, despite face cov- restrictions lifted quarantine of social distancing among cli- alcohol. of businesses that sell to Brit holiday- ents erings being made mandatory makers. and a failure to wear face “They are added to the three by the Balearic Government. masks by staff.

But in a closures announced yesterday In one viral video, filmed by a tion of response to the erup- Establishments in breach of (Wednesday) and that means local resident, partygoers could scores ofanti-social behaviour, the laws will now have to pay the number of streets now afbe seen throwing punches and and localBritish holidaymakers out around €3,000, with some fected businesses were also serious is five. violations costing lo- “The cal business a hefty €300,000 effect new closures will take fine. Meanwhile, locals and object immediately, with the of protecting the whole holidaymakers were slapped population and avoiding the with more than 50 on-the-spot spread of coronavirus. fines for failing to adhere to “Although initially the decision the rules enforced to halt the was made to close businesses in spread of infection.

Punta Ballena...that has been Five infamous party streets extended were shut down on the island adjacent to the two new streets to Punta Ballena to by the Balearic Government avoid following a request from Calvia cessesthe possibility certain exCouncil, the authority covering streets.”could move on to those The order only applies Magaluf. to Punta Ballena, Calle del butbusinesses that sell alcohol Jamon, Calle General Garcia the fears had been raised that problem could spread elseRuiz and Calle de Federico where Garcia Lorca in Magaluf were other as partygoers look for places to socialise.

Local businesses and holidaygoers hit with fines as Magaluf coronavirus crackdown ramps up as revellers run amok

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Secret beaches and the best books to read on them

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Corona comeback

triSPAIN’S COVID-infections have pled since July 3.

They have risen from 8.76 for every 100,000 inhabitants to an alarming 27.39. as This is the same number of cases when Spain first began de-escalation the in May. Aragon, Catalunya and Basque Country have all experienced outbreaks of concern. Controls have been put in place, while some conisfinement measures have been sued. In Gibraltar, there are currently zero cases.

Cashback

has CONSUMERS’ group Which? demanded action to make airlines speed up refunds for cancelled flights due to COVID-19.

It claims that many of the victims are ‘suffering serious financial and emotional distress’ as they struggle to claim refunds for flights and holidays.

The group has compiled a dossier of more than 14,000 refund complaints that it has now handed over to the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as part of its review of how cancellations. handled airlines have They are collectively worth more than £5.6 million.

Under the Denied Boarding Reguan lations, if a UK or EU airline (orthe airline flying from an airport in you UK or EU) cancels your flight, should be refunded within seven days.

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96 649 1883

Destination Relaxation

By Andy

My mother learned to use a smartphone and joined Facebook at age 76 (Online, July 25) We communicate near every day. 25 years ago when I still lived in Norway, we’d see each other about once a month... Teach the older generation to use simple apps, show them why they should, not just how, and they’ll pick it up fairly quickly. This said, though. Loneliness and simply being alone are vastly different.

Beathe Wright, La Linea de la Concepcion

Why not holiday in the political not trav-lly, as a In Whyessentia denial es? EU, business sees the help local Moore Rose Wales,325, pgIf7).

The in the UK are ignoring the government rules on a day to day basis, what Issue beauty el and see people andofproud, (Leave hip the dictators offer? states, England .have oropposite 28 sovereignhow Scotland Theretoare is the in the world are they going to control this quarantine when people rereality the UKly it’s When the chose to become voluntari which in UK,shines thesun including turn from Spain? in beaches have We beat. to very hardd. Steve Dunne believes that the UK would associate mulhave we in the top 10on thebetter Jenni Gordelier, Alcala la Real terms. Not so. I’m not going to WTOworld, fair cul- chapter us great givespage which ismyour ticultural and by quoting Numbers game letters down weigh compassion. looks into the and diversity ture, food, nd that Steve recomme The coronavirus figures given by the British government do not reflect the but I really verse, those worry about Should we any Trump knows. that hejust industry of specifics to Thattrue situation here. It is much safer in Spain than in the UK. who want to go to Benidorm UK should EU-free with anNo. dealbeach? get a trade trying issit I on the on atolounger know: want you to tell year I trade deals this Trump’s saytothat thrilled so all amyou speaks for Mahler Janet Bowers, Yorkshire Brent Finally, labels.

US-first have not And UK. the of coast the will travel UK citizens wary of an EU armed force ofCOVID. number of abecause ideas , these are union. ever closer five years, for However Money man and in Spain Afteranliving am nothing to do with the COVID numbers in Spain, this about the UK not EU policy. and- guess people specific friends Spanish floated makingbyonly ThisI has proof 40-plus yearsbeing skint! Evil unelected psychopath Dominic Cummings (who actually - Scotland insidious to visit? at the we want more whereworried Mail, Telegraph, and theits by s, England EEC/EULEAVERS: Highlandthe and its against paganda Trio runs the did U.K.) is making sure we Brits don’t spend our holiday cash in Spain and What TheitsSun. andofWales course, l pubsand, traditiona Times Express, of Brits in Spain but stay years an-in the UK instead! many so be was he will why here asked castles.Tsay when he was Murdoch even to forward into look go I travel, to aheadSomethin g along the lines of: “When ti-EU? Ziggy Lavelle, Marbella dealsI and evenI better flights, EU.” Thealert cheaper go to the Stay say: when do what 10 they No. but package ent! even crazier to ask for an appointm he hadholidays, on is that implicati The fact that the virus is being controlled here in Spain should mean that the until then, why not reinvest in the UK Spanish should be more wary of visitors coming from higher infection areas economy. like England. The UK government’s handling of the situation has been appalling.

Llanelli Job, Ryan James

Bad behaviour I think the British community should apologise for their behaviour on the party strip in Magaluf. (Online, 21 July) It’s because they keep themselves to themselves and have their own shops and so on.They should integrate more and speak Spanish.

Thomas Melia, Marbella

Paula King, Almeria

But the family of tragic Kirsty Maxwell slam ‘flawed’ investigation and ‘disgusting’ way five men have been found innocent of her death

McInnes witnesses, exhibits and evi& Dilip Kuner dence as would be expected It comes after Kirsty’s grieving for such a tragic loss of a young family hired retired CID detec- life in unexplained, confusing tive David Swindle to conduct circumstances. their own investigation into af- “Kirsty and her family appear ter vital evidence was lost and to have been let down by appolice failed to preserve the parent irretrievable shortcomscene of the investigation from ings in Spanish police, forensic and crime investigation procecontamination. dures which may have resulted in evidence being lost.”

Shortcoming Kirsty’s parents Brian and Mr Swindle, concluded the Denise Curry had appealed a investigation was serious- Spanish judge’s decision last ly ‘flawed’ and added it was September to shelve a criminal ‘disgusting’ the family had to probe into her death. find out through the media The three judges based at Secthat there would be no further tion Two of Alicante’s Provincial Court ruled that she was probe.

He said: “There has been no ‘affected by alcohol’ and after consideration given to Kirsty’s consuming the equivalent of family in this, and for them 10 spirits the night before, to find out like this has com- appears to have left her apartpounded their grief. It is dis- ment 9A and voluntarily entered 10E where the five men gusting.

“The family has been let down were. just as they have been let down “Nothing points to the conthroughout the investigation. trary,” it said. “Although it is The Spanish police did not true cocaine was found in the manage the scene, significant bathroom and the dead woman’s fingerprints were discov-

Tech savvy

Gill Tyers, Countesthorpe

21/6/19 13:30

Cashback

CONSUMERS’ group has demanded action to make airlines speed up refunds for cancelled flights due to COVID-19.

It claims that many of the victims are ‘suffering serious financial and emotional distress’ as they struggle to claim refunds for flights. group has compiled a dossier of more than 14,000 refund complaints that it has now handed over to the SALES & RENTALS SPECIALISTS UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as part of its review Moriara•Calpe•Jalon•Javea•Denia•Altea of how airlines have handled cancellations. They are col- THE family of a young hollectively worth more than idaymaker who fell to her www.moraira-hamiltons.net death from an apartment in €5.6 million.

Benidorm have slammed a court’s ruling not to appeal her death.

They are convinced five Brits on holiday caused Kirsty Maxwell’s death in April, 2017.

A private detective who looked into the case described the decision as flawed.

However, a panel of judges in Alicante ruled that there was no ‘strong evidence’ of criminality.

They added there was nothing to indicate the 27-yearold, from Scotland, had not jumped to her death following an alcohol-fuelled hen night with friends.

Properties to rent and buy in the sunny Costa Blanca The five lads on holiday, all from Nottingham, were acWe have beautiful homes for sale cused of spiking her with cocaine and pushing her to her and luxury villas to rent death.

She had mistakenly entered a Commission fee is only €2500 10th floor room at the Apartatel: (+34) 965 074 546 | email: info@azul-homes.co.uk mentos Payma hotel, instead of her friends’ neighbouring www.azul-homes.co.uk apartment.

E n d s

expat

SPAIN’S COVID-infections have tripled since July 3.

They have risen from 8.76 for every 100,000 inhabitants to an alarming 27.39.

This is the same number of cases as when Spain first began de-escalation in May. Aragon, Catalunya and the Basque Country have all experienced outbreaks. Controls have been E put n dins place, 3 1 while / 1 2some / 1 9 . confinement measures have been issued.

21/6/19 13:30 Which?

w

Your voice in Spain

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Corona comeback

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Stay at home Get Press, educated Dear Olive UK? Why not

SAD: Kirsty and hotel ered on an interior bathroom window, it has not been possible to obtain strong evidence of specific and individualised criminality.”

The five men - Joseph Graham, Ricky Gammon, Anthony Holehouse, Callum Northridge and Daniel Bailey - will not face any further charges.

Their lawyer, Roberto Sanchez, said: “I am very happy with the court decision and I imagine my clients are looking forward to putting all this behind them.”

Kirsty’s dad blasted the decision, saying: “We were not told the appeal had been lost, and now we are having to go to the court to find out what has happened. For us not to have been shown the courtesy of being kept informed is appalling.

“All we have asked for is the truth and yet again the opportunity to get to the heart of what happened to Kirsty has been denied to us.”

Has anything piqued your interest in this week’s Olive Press? Have your say on the matter by emailing letters@ theolivepress.es or message us on at www.facebook.com/OlivePressNewspaper or Twitter @olivepress

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7 Skirt worn by ballerinas (4) 8 Having ability (8) 9 Average (3) 10 Heap (4) 11 South American boa (8) 12 Leaf box for drinkers who don’t use bags (3,5) 14 Woman’s dress (4) 16 Stuff (4) 17 Surprised (8) 19 Burn without flame (8) 21 Boozer (4) 22 Wane (3) 23 Lackadaisical (8) 24 Lasting power (4)

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Costa Blanca Issue 35

tel: (0034) 952 763 840 info@theskydoctor.com www.theskydoctor.com

f o r

€500,000 in cash and 150 luxury fund such luxury residences.” vehicles.

Nearly all the hash smuggling the Mauro’s £200,000 yacht, named

By John Culatto A MANHUNT is underway for clans, including the Polo, Futbolis‘Sunrays’, was also seized in Gibralleader of one of the biggest drug tas, Pantoja and Castana clans, tar in early July. trafficking and money laundering Mauro family,” a Guardia Civil lived in El Zabal. In fact the narcos to clans in the Campo de Gibraltar. had spent at least €35 million spokesman told the Olive Press.

Do you know where Gareth Gareth Mauro, head of the Mauro One source told this paper that boss build their homes, which, followMauro is? Contact newscops, luxclan, is wanted by Gibraltar and at Gareth owned ‘one of the most so- ing a raid by 450 anti-drug with desk@theolivepress.es Spanish police for laundering have now been seized, along urious homes’ in the notorious least €2 million in hashish smug- called ‘Narcoville’ area in El Zabal.

La gling profits.

The beachside neighbourhood in The head honcho is feared to have of Linea has been constructed illegalfled to Morocco after a string ly by drug barons and mafias and raids involving hundreds of police La features huge villas with high walls officers saw 71 people arrested in and top-notch security.

Linea, including four Gibraltarians “These homes, with their high walls not (three men and a woman). and security measures, were “We can confirm that the arrested registered on any town plan,” addGibraltarians are part of the same ed the Guardia Civil spokesman.

“It was discovered that they had not been financed See page 16 by banks and owntheir Mauros ers’ legal jobs Guardia Civil moved in on the not RAIDS: Heavily armed could

X SKY + + THE DOCTOR

v a l i d

Sunrays

Top money launderer on the run after family arrested in huge narco crackdown

Army top brass see page 4

* O f f e r

left and inset) and his yacht

MOST WANTED!

New broom sweeps in

952 147 834

The English government is a bloody joke. The other day in Leicestershire there was an argument with five kids, 10 police cars, loads of people watching and nobody was wearing masks or social distancing. Yet Boris wants to penalise good people that have abided by all the rules in Spain. You and your team are a laughing stock Boris.

See pages 9 - 10 - 11

SPAIN’S COVID-infections have tripled since July 3.

They have risen from 8.76 for every 100,000 inhabitants to an alarming 27.39.

This is the same number of cases as when Spain first began de-escalation in May. Aragon, Catalunya and the Basque Country have all experienced outbreaks. Controls have been put in place, while some confinement measures have been issued.

FREE

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Secret beaches and the best books to read on them

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Vol. 4 Issue 85 www.theolivepress.es July 24th - August 6th 2020

Corona comeback

August 5th - August 18th 2020

1 Military rebel (8) 2 Powerful number cruncher (13) 3 Run aground (6) 4 Squalid (6) 5 Persistently memorable (13) 6 Feat (4) 13 Speck (3) 15 Crash debris (8) 17 Abrupt (6) 18 Take into custody (6) 20 Flesh (4)

All solutions are on page 22

BUSINESS

Slim pickings

FURIOUS UN officials have demanded Spain improve living conditions for seasonal farm workers before somebody dies.

Three fires erupted and injured four people in worker shanty towns near Huelva.

Troops were deployed on Saturday, July 25, to build a migrant camp after concerns were raised by local officials.

Mostly without running water, electricity or sanitation measures, the current workplace accommodation is squalid and a breeding ground for COVID-19.

The Spanish defence ministry hopes that the army logistics team will be able to prevent possible coronavirus outbreaks in settlements made vulnerable by fires.

Cash crash

RYANAIR suffered a net loss of €185 million between April and June as Covid-19 grounded flights all over Europe.

The budget airline, which will continue to run flights to and from Spain despite the UK Government’s recent quarantine u-turn, revealed sales had plummeted by 95% in the three months to June 30.

“The past quarter was the most challenging in Ryanair’s 35year history,” a statement from Ryanair read. Revenue fell by almost €2.2 billion to €125 million as more than 99% of flights were cancelled and the number of passengers fell from 42 million to 500,000. Michael O’Leary, Ryanair’s chief executive warned that the business ‘cannot rule out further pay cuts and job losses if things get worse, not better’.

August 5th - August 18th 2020

Travel restrictions will lead to catastrophic decrease in seasonal employment SPAIN’S unemployment rate could soar by 2.3 million if countries such as the UK and Norway continue to impose quarantine on people returning from holiday resorts, a new study has revealed.

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has estimated that, globally, 76.4 million people could lose their jobs as a direct result of travel restrictions. Seasonal employment in Spain represents a total of 15% of the GDP in the summer months but, with increasing numbers of holidaymakers reluctant to travel to popular hotspots such as the Costa del Sol and the Balearics, many hotel, restaurant and hospitality workers will find themselves surplus to requirements. Under this ‘worst case scenario’, the

Jobs misery beckons

BLEAK PROSPECTS: Unemployment in the tourism industry is set to soar

WTTC estimate there would be a 62% decrease in GDP compared to 2019. This reduction would represent a financial loss of more than €8.7 billion to Spain’s tour-

Profit pandemic

SANTANDER has reported a €11 billion loss for the second quarter and blamed COVID-19 for the sharp drop in revenue. According to the bank, the sharp exchange rate devaluation amidst the pandemic has distorted a year-on-year comparison of the figures.

European operations decreased by 8% due to less banking activity overall and pandemic regulatory changes affecting the income from Santander Consumer Finance in the UK. Wholesale banking business in Europe has, however, increased its net fee income by 58%.

Scream if you want to go faster Just like in a Bond movie, thrill seekers can now take a jet boat ride on open waters by Puerto De La Duquesa.

A

LANDLUBBER with an aversion to adrenaline sports, I probably wasn’t the ideal candidate to test out Manilva’s new 50mph jet boat thrill ride, Scream, writes Kirsty McKenzie.

But determined to fulfil my life long dream of being a Bond Girl, I bravely strapped myself into a lifejacket, took a deep breath, and prepared myself for some serious adventure.

Much like Daniel Craig, pilot Stuart Donaldson knows how to make an entrance. I’m waiting at Puerto De La Duquesa, when I spot him in the banana yellow jet boat, white water spraying up either side.

As he introduces himself, he promises a high speed, high adrenaline thrill ride for all - suitable for both water and cry babies (I place myself firmly in the latter camp).

“We’ll start off slow and see how you guys feel,” Stuart reassures us as we make a white-knuckle grab for the handrail. Stuart cranks up the engine and my heart races as the speedometer climbs from 10 to 20 to 30 and BAM - within

SPLASHDOWN: Thrills-a-plenty

WAITING: Stuart and Laura at Scream seconds we’re whizzing along at 50mph veering left and right through the ice blue sea, leaving nothing but a trail of white foam in our midst.

With over 20-years experience, Stuart adapts each ride depending on the nerves - and ages - of the passengers. Under 14s will get a gentler excursion whereas anyone over 14 can simply scream if they want to go faster.

With the breeze whipping my hair and the sun beating down, my fears quickly fade away and I imagine myself looking exactly like Honey Ryder from Dr No. That is until Stuart pulls the boat’s unique signature move “The Submarine” where the boat crashes down and dips into the water, sending waves cascading over us and water up to our knees. We’re drenched but exhilarated.

The entire 30 minutes is hold-on-tight stuff and the speed alone would satisfy the most seasoned thrill seeker. But it’s the perfectly timed, 360 spin that really makes the experience.

Open April to September from 10am. Information or booking at screamjet. com (or Whatsapp 652 836 735); €35 per adult, €25 per child (under 14 years).

By Lydia Spencer-Elliott

ism industry.

These figures are backed up by research and statistics from Exceltur, Spain’s Alliance for Tourism Excellence.

At the very best, the WTTC expects restrictions to be lifted by autumn but, according to Spanish economist Nadia Calviño, this will require a new tourism model to be put in place. Calviño hopes

that the rebirth of the tourism industry will create a ‘modernisation’ of the Spanish economy. “The process should allow growth over a long period of time without generating imbalances such as those carried out in the past and achieve more inclusive and sustainable growth,” she said.

Currently, anyone returning to the UK from Spain must self-isolate at home for 14 days.

13

Coronavirus cash crisis HORRIFYING new data from financial experts has shown an 18.5% quarterly fall in the Spanish economy.

A crash this severe hasn’t been seen since the late 19th and early 20th centuries, during the Spanish Civil War. The data, collected by the National Statistics Institute (INE), shows the true financial cost of the coronavirus pandemic as the figures have been collected between April and June.

It comes after the economy shrank by 5.2% when businesses began to close in the first quarter. This was the first downward spiral after six years of steady economic growth that successfully pulled Spain out of its last financial crisis. Thanks to the virus, in the first half of the year alone, Spain has now lost a fourth of its gross domestic product (GDP). INE estimates this loss amounts to approximately €300 billion— enough money to pay retirees’ pensions for two years.

In comparison to other developed countries, the Spanish economy has been affected the worst by COVID-19.

Germany’s economy contracted by 10.1%, the United States’ by 9.5% and Frances’ by 13.8%.

Experts have attributed Spain’s drastic financial downturn to the strict containment measures the country was forced to adopt at the peak of the pandemic and the economy’s dependence on tourism.

14

PROPERTY

August 5th - August 18th 2020

STACKS OF CASH

PROPERTY OF THE WEEK

VISTAS: Breathtaking city skyline

CJ606

94.000€ Noguerones, Jaen

4 bed, 2 bath Build: 228m2

This large house sits on a quiet road just out of town with shady off road parking. Enter into a large entrance hall off which is a large bedroom, a big living room straight ahead with a bathroom off it, a wood burner and access to a nice sized fitted kitchen.

Martos Office +34 953 704 319 info@inlandandalucia.com

Calle Lope de Vega, 6, 23600 Martos (Jaén)

www.inlandandalucia.com

On reflection, all that glitters is not gold

Marvellous Madrid!

MADRID has been named the best place for Brits to move post-lockdown to save money.

The Spanish capital beat the likes of Istanbul, Warsaw and Budapest to claim the title of the place to work from remotely during the pandemic.

The study by CIA Landlord revealed the best cit-

The Property Insider

by Adam Neale

M

AGPIE buyers are always tempted by stunning? the sheen of new-build properties, but The reality is that all too many buyers don’t in reality such homes often offer a lot think like sellers, or even tenants. When they less than meets the eye. fall for something shiny in the moment, they First, let’s get the rural myth out of the way: con- don’t factor in the long-term consequences of trary to popular opinion, scientists have shown paying more for less space in a less-than-ideal magpies are not attracted to shiny objects, but location. In fact, the greatest threat to the value more likely suffer from neophobia, the fear of of their investment could be the same developthe new. No such fear, however, exists in mag- er or agent who sells them the place in the first pie buyers who, sometimes guided by unscru- place and who is already planning Phase II just pulous agents and after having been shown a next door. few shabby fixer-upper resale properties, usual- Naturally, there are exceptions to every rule. ly jump when they see the show flat in a new Some new developments, because of where development and can’t stop themselves from they are (think front-line beach, or in quiet signing on the dotted line. streets in town centres) or how Over the past few months, I’ve well they’re built (to higher been surprised by some show eco-friendly quality or with betterReality is too homes myself, albeit not in quite than-bog standards), will always the same way. offer strong competition to remany buyers The size and sensation of space sale properties. don’t think in some modern villas and apartWhile we all like shiny, new things, ments has been distinctly under, there’s real value in older properlike sellers, or rather than overwhelming, while ties that have been worth buying, tenants the asking prices are anything and reselling, for years. I’d sugbut compact and bijou. Unless gest would-be buyers look beyond you’re careful, it is easy to be the glitz and glamour of the new blinded by the light reflected in polished surfac- and the view you can see for now and focus es and the gleam of rented furniture, so much on opportunities in established developments. so that many fail to notice the 33% reduction in Many clients will still purchase new simply for floor space and 33% hike in sale prices. reasons of convenience. After all, who wants to At the same time, most new developments, take on a major project in another country? precisely because they are new, lack the most However, as most people have worked hard to basic, underlying value of the best real estate: afford the luxury of a holiday home, it seems location. If the nearest shop is a marathon away daft (at least to me) to not spend a little more or you have to get in your car to get to a bar (and time and effort for a potentially better investthen need to think about how to get home again ment. Let’s face it, this is not a new car we are safely once you’re there), how attractive do you talking about, but often a huge investment. So imagine that will be to a rental client or future my advice is, if you’re willing to do some work, potential purchaser? Sea views are all well and you can find it all – location, space, price and good, but if the sea is so far away you need a even a view – for often less and still make it telescope to see it, maybe the view isn’t all that new to you.

Terra Meridiana, 77 Calle Caridad, Estepona • 29680 • Tel: +34 951 318480.

Office Mob: +34 678 452109 Email: info@terrameridiana.com. Website: www.terrameridiana.com

Spanish city best place for working Brits in lockdown ies to move post-lockdown to save on expenses while still earning your current salary and living abroad in a similar time zone.

Researches weighed up a variety of cost and popularity factors to highlight the best place to work from home.

Madrid soared into first place thanks to low prices for Airbnb, transport - and post importantly - pints.

With an extremely high amount of annual tourists, cheap flights and a low cost

of living – Madrid comes out on top as the best location to move to for remote working based on a variety of cost and popularity reasons.

Despite its relatively high rent for a 1-bed (£895), flights to and from the Madrid from London will cost you nothing short of a £46 return.

Meanwhile, Monaco was ranked officially the worst city to relocate to for remote working due to high rent costs of £3,499.

Village bargain FOR the price of a luxury home on the up-market Spanish costas and islands you can buy a whole village in the charming northern region of Asturias.

Granted the price tag is still a substantial €1.87 million, but it could be seen as something of a bargain having been reduced by 21% from €2.37 million.

Being sold through property portal Idealista, it has been for sale for more than two years . The village has a 1,115m2 built area, of which 950m2 are usable and the total area

it covers is 130,000m2.

Surrounded by fields, forests, mountains and with views of the Picos de Europa mountain range, El Mortorio has 12 buildings, eight of which are rural cottages. There is also a traditional granary and more than 20 building plots. Each cottage has two to four bedrooms with a living room, kitchen and dining room. They were renovated between 1995 and 2004, have private access, individual heating and more than half of them also have a fireplace. It is currently being run as a hotel.

PEACE: Village and views

PROPERTY giant Warren Buffett has entered the Spanish real estate market this month after buying an agency in Marbella.

The company is owned by the American business tycoon Warren Edward Buffet, who is considered one of the most successful investors in the world with a net worth of $71.8 billion. With plans to market luxury homes, the company joins the market in partnership with Larvia real estate consultancy.

The Larvia CEO said now is the perfect time to ally with Buffet as Spain’s real estate market has recovered from crisis and continues to grow.

MOGUL: Buffet aquires Spanish property agency

Ready, set, build RESIDENTIAL property expert GRE Assets has proven its commitment to the Spanish property market by making it a key component of the company’s ‘exciting new project’.

Their latest development, located in the Poblenou neighbourhood of Barcelona, will have 63 two, three, and four-bedroom seaside apartments. Named Brises Diagonal Mar, the first phase of the companies’ expansion scheme in Spain is set to launch in September this year.

Gloomy outlook SPAIN’S popular tourist hotspots could be hardest hit by property price falls.

According to estate agent Colliers International Spain , second-hand homes in places like Palma (Mallorca), Alicante, Barcelona’s coastal districts and Valencia could see ‘discounts’ of around 10% by year end.

Property site Idealista agrees, adding that the Costa del Sol and the Canary Islands are also markets which have a high proportion of foreign buyers, leaving them vulnerable to a mini-property crash.

Although prices have held up reasonably well so far, it is expected that prices will drop by year end.

"We’ve seen slight price drops in approximately 25% of the ads on real estate websites since Spain’s state of emergency was declared and the lockdown began,” Juan Fernández-Aceytuno, CEO of Spain’s Appraisal Society, told El Economista.

HEALTH Banged up!

A GROUP of migrants rescued off the coast of Alicante have been forced to isolate following fears that they had contracted coronavirus.

Out of the 79 immigrants saved from Costa Blanca, 17 were thought to have Covid-19, with four officially testing positive for the virus.

The group - thought to be from Algeria - was reported to have included five children and a baby.

They will all remain in quarantine at the General University Hospital of Alicante, a judge has ruled.

Due to their close proximity

August 5th - August 18th 2020

Let’s talk sex!

15 Lisa Burgess

It has so many benefits, even if DIY is the only safe way to enjoy it these days, writes Lisa Burgess

W CHECK UPS: Migrants screened for Coronavirus onboard, the Valencian Superior Court of Justice (TSJCV) agreed on the terms

Kids ain’t alright Younger people are making up nearly half of the new coronavirus cases across the Valencian Community.

Half of the new COVID-19 cases detected in recent weeks have been in adults under 35. The latest figures show people between the ages of 15 and 34 make up almost 50% of all cases in the Valencian Community. Meanwhile, people between 34 and 64 are just 31% of newly reported cases in the area. The outbreaks have sparked concerns that the opening of nightclubs and bars could be fuelling recent spikes in coronavirus cases. Earlier this month, more than 70 cases were recorded amongst visitors to a Gandia nightclub.

When asked why the decision has not been made to limit or close the nightlife, regional health minister Ana Barcelo said the majority of infections were spread by people socially at home. She said: “We cannot forget that this is an invisible enemy and that the virus does not distinguish between family, friends, co-workers and total strangers.”

of their isolation with the Ministry of Health.

The Magistrate said the group would be in quarantine “to avoid risks to public health”.

On a visit to the city of Alicante, the Minister for Equality and Inclusive Policies and Vice President of the Generalitat, Mónica Oltra, said the migrants should not be “stigmatised”.

In the case of immigrants who have tested positive for the virus, she stated that “any infected human being is a victim of the virus and not the executioner of anyone”, adding it was not helpful “to stigmatise a group that is not the cause of the pandemic or reference to the largest outbreaks.”

ell-known American German sex therapist Dr Ruth once said: ‘When it comes to sex the most important six inches are the ones between the ears’. I am not entirely sure she’s right but sex is beneficial to both your physical and mental health.

According to researchers at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania, college students who had sex once or twice a week had higher levels of antibodies than students who had less sex, which shows it boosts your immune system.

Other benefits include bladder control: it’s a good workout for your pelvic floor muscles, avoiding incontinence later in life; and you can burn five calories per minute having sex, versus watching the television at one calorie per minute, so ditch the remote and tone up.

Dr Ambardar, a Californian psychiatrist says: “After orgasm, the hormone prolactin is released which is responsible for the feelings of relaxation and sleepiness”.

Men seem to have a particular aptitude for this post-coital state.

But what a nightmare to navigate dating and sex as a singleton during these times.

There is no current evidence coronavirus is transmitted through semen or vaginal fluids but it has been detected in the semen of people who have had, or are recovering from, the virus, according to the Mayo Clinic which says more research is needed.

Passionate kissing is out the window in the

DATING: A young Lisa in Ireland latest COVID dating advice, as coming into contact with a person’s spit through kissing could expose you to the virus. Sexually arousing indeed.

The world-famous clinic advises that if you are not with a long term partner, sexual activity during COVID-19 should be virtual, via text, photos or videos and preferably encrypted for privacy. Make sure you upload Whatsapp.

The safest type of sexual activity is masturbation - romance is on its knees! Upon hearing this I recalled a saucy quote by the unforgettable Mae West: “Good sex is like good bridge, if you don’t have a good partner, you’d better have a good hand”.

16

Affordable Business August 5th August 18th 2020 Contacts

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TeleVision

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STORAGE

For classified advertising needs, please contact Tina on 647 078 775 or Sam on 634 611 836 Motorhomes - Caravans Boats - Cars & Vans Delivery & Collection available Short Term - Long Term Established 15 years Safe & Secure - 24hr CCTV

Looking for the perfect escape once the lockdown finally ends? A weekend of fresh air, mountain scenery and walks will revive your senses

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Plumbing and leak detection Working on the coast since 2000 Call Simon on 625 70 27 72

kennels & cattery

Eurodog Visit amazing Ronda Romantica apartments - ranked 9.7 on Booking.com and 5* on airbnb - via www.alcantarilla.co.uk or call 654 152 122

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Fully Licensed Sanitary Approved Large Secure Runs Purpose Built Secure Play Area Established For Over 20 Years 5 Minutes From Fuengirola

679 786 669 - Alan - 952 464 947 www.eurodog.es - Email - info@eurodog.es

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

August 5th - August 18th 2020

Pop along to the pop-up C hef Joffrey Charles, formerly of Joffrey’s fine dining restaurant in La Cala De Mijas has opened up a new pop-up restaurant at Lakala Beach overlooking the sea in La Cala de Mijas with a Moonlight Dinner every Sunday evening.

These are tough times for the hospitality industry and Joffrey reached out to the new owners of Lakala Beach which is situated between El Oceano and Florida Beach and suggested he do a special menu.

Joffrey’s cuisine, live entertainment and that ocean view have proved a successful combination. The three-course menu changes weekly and is priced at €27.50 per person.

Guests have enjoyed starters such as Joffrey’s Chicken Liver Parfait & Homemade Fig & Apricot Jam, Caramelised Onion & Goat’s Cheese Tarte Tatin and Salmon Gravlax with Avocado Puree. This week guests were wowed by Joffrey’s scotch egg with pan-fried black pudding, truffle oil and micro herbs.

Every dish is cooked from scratch and Joffrey preps for two days prior to the event.

17

ICONIC: The star-studded sun trap attracted Princess Di and rock stars

Royal revival

TALENT: Chef Joffrey with Lisa Foley

The most popular main has been Roast Supreme of Chicken with Garlic Croquettes and Wild Mushroom Risotto. The risotto can be made for vegans and vegetarians. Chef’s fresh fish such as pan-fried seabass and hake have also gone down a treat customers.

French Chef Joffrey recreated his grandmother’s Apple Tarte Tatin this week and other favourite desserts have been Chocolate Cheesecake, Peanut Butter Parfait with Honeycomb & Vanilla Ice-Cream and his renowned Creme Brulee.

Chef Joffrey does a Moonlight Dinner every Sunday evening from 7.30 pm and will be doing a Black Moon Dinner, a special event in the Lunar Calendar, on Wednesday, August 19th, 2020

Starter of Scotch Egg with PanFried Black Pudding & Truffle Oil With Micro Herbs and Starter of Caramelised Onion & Goats Cheese Tarte Tatin

For further information or reservations, please call Lisa on 685 55 4718

A world famous hotel on the Costa Del Sol where Princess Diana, The Rolling Stones and Antonio Banderas partied is scheduled to finally reopen in 2022.

Celebrity favourite Hotel Byblos in Mijas, shut its doors on May 31, 2010 after 24 years as one of the most prestigious Five Star establishments in southern Spain.

However, following its acquisition by Hyatt International in July 2020, it will be redeveloped into a luxury 200 bedroom resort.

The property will be managed

by Marugal Hotel Management and will be the first Hyatt branded hotel in southern Spain.

Mijas’s famous celebrity haunt Hotel Byblos is making a return

By Andy McInnes

“We are delighted to collaborate with Intriva to redevelop and rediscover the splendor of this famous building and welcome it into The Unbound Collection by Hyatt portfolio,” said Nuno Galvao Pinto, regional vice president of development Europe, Hyatt.

“The illustrious past and distinctive architecture of the hotel make it a perfect fit for the brand and we expect it to be a truly exceptional addition.”

The iconic hotel was bought

by UK business tycoon Lord Alan Sugar for €60million soon after its closure 10 years ago, but he became embroiled in a lengthy legal wrangle with troubled developer Aifos.

Following a settlement, the property was snapped up by Madrid based Ayco Immobiliaria in 2016, but they only got as far as applying for a works licence.

It was snapped up by an international investment group last year and will now be operated by prestigious luxury chain Hyatt.

la sala TM

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FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

WELVE years ago I was in full preparation for the Andalucian Endurance Raid Riding Championships.

Artensana, the Arabian purebred mare I’d been training for almost two years claimed the silver medal at the prestigious event.

However, I wasn’t the jock and the week prior to the championships was the last time I sat in a saddle. A blue line on a home pregnancy test ended that dream, launching me instead into the adventure of a lifetime. Motherhood.

However, before I knew it my

August 5th - August 18th 2020

Back in the saddle…

baby boy was blowing out candles for his 11th birthday. Not such a baby anymore. I felt the urge to pick up the reigns of my former passion.

I started by writing about horse riding holidays in Andalucia, home of the Spanish purebred, for the Olive Press.

It opened unexpected new doors.

Paddock Paradise, one of the riding centres I contacted for the feature, generously invited me to spend a day with them and go riding.

I’ve always been horse-mad.

Just ask my parents who had to deal with me asking for a pony for Christmas ever since I was about three. So, the only one feasible answer was YES PLEASE! And so I found myself making my way to Ronda, best-known for its spectacular setting atop a deep gorge spanned by a stone bridge.

What I didn’t count on was my GPS signal disappearing as I arrived in the atmospheric mountain town.

After a 10-minute panic driving around in circles, streaming with sweat (I do more than glow) at the thought I wouldn’t make it to the riding centre on time, I did it the old-fashioned way and asked a complete stranger for directions…

I picked my target with calculation, an old man who no doubt knew the town like the back of his hand and would indicate more precisely than any top-of-the-range Sat Nav, with a bit of town history thrown in for good measure.

And he didn’t disappoint!

After a 12-year horsey hiatus, endurance rider Cristina Hodgson gets back in her stride in the mountains of Ronda

HELLO: Cristina makes a new friend as she returns to the saddle Thanks to my new friend, I learned that English painter David Bomberg lived and worked in Ronda in the 1950s, producing some of the finest landscapes of Spain; that the 5,000-year-old cave

paintings near Ronda are an absolute must-see; and that the mountains around Ronda were a popular hide-out for 19th century bandits.

I also got excellent directions to the Ronda- Algeciras road (A-369) and my exit to gallop galore, keeping a keen lookout for modern-day bandits, just in case.

I soon found myself amid a Mediterranean forest, with spectacular views of the Tajo river and romantic Ronda beyond. I had reached my destination and it was instantly clear why Paddock Paradise is so-named.

A place where horses live in freedom, HAPPY: A beaming Cristina rekindles her love for horses unencum-

bered by horseshoes, and are ridden without bits, spurs or whips, it’s also Utopia for equines.

Fernando Roman and his brother Juan, the humans behind this animal haven where most of the horses have been rescued from the slaughterhouse, took me for a tour of the extensive grounds.

At the paddock, the horses are allowed to reconnect with their natural habitat, in an environment where calm and silence reign.

However, I started to seriously regret boasting about my Raid Riding credentials, because after 12 years out of the saddle, there was every chance I would lose my seat … especially as a rip across the backside of my super tight riding jocks, purchased pre-maternity figure, was also on the cards...

Thankfully, pants and seat remained intact. It turns out that horse riding is just like riding a bike - something you never forget.

The two-hour trek through dense Mediterranean forest, the silence barely broken by the sound of horses hooves, will also stay with me forever.

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

Nutty for acorns

JOSE Pizzaro, the esteemed Spanish chef currently working at his eponymous restaurant in London, is determined to get acorns on the UK menu.

“I make a rosca, a sort of honeyed doughnut, with acorn flour” he told The Independent. “The flavour’s amazing, and it’s naturally gluten free. I’m working on a version of a marron glace…”

It is no surprise that Pizzaro is an acorn enthusiast. Extremadura, where the chef grew up, is a province best known for its wild oak forest.

Wild

But Pizzaro will be squirelling his nuts to the UK from the upmarket Andalucian Iberico ham makers Cinco Jotas in Jabugo, Huelva.

Andalucian acorn season has been delayed this year due to lack of rainfall. But when it begins, Pizzaro has plans to ship a huge order of acorns from quercus ilex or Mediterranean oak trees over to the UK. Currently, Spain possesses half of the entire world’s stock of this type of acorn.

After the nuts travel 1,325 miles from Jabugo to Pizzaro’s restaurant in Liverpool Street, let’s hope he rustles up something tasty.

August 5th - August 18th 2020

Grape Expectations

19

Cordoba’s DO Montilla-Moriles kicks off Europe’s harvest season and it could be a vintage year

By Cristina Hodgson

COVID-19 aside, 2020 is looking like a very good year for Spanish wines.

The weather has smiled on the vineyards of Montilla-Moriles, one of Spain’s 68 DO wine regions and always one of the first in Europe to bring home the harvest.

Although centred around the cities of Montilla and Moriles, the region extends through 15 other municipalities often referred to as the Empire of Pedro Ximenez, where winemaking dates back to Roman times.

The first pickings will be early white varieties such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Verdejo and Moscatel, which produce the first musts for making young wines, followed by the native Pedro Ximenez grapes.

The quality is expected to be ‘excellent’ thanks to the ‘generous rain in spring, together with the high temperatures these last few weeks’, says Juan Manuel Centella, President of the Viña de Asaja Cordoba sector.

‘This has favoured a good

GOOD YEAR: Vineyards have thrived

and advanced ripening of the grape,’ he added.

A scarce and localised presence of diseases and pests has also allowed for optimum quality of the grapes.

The expected crop is esti-

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mated to be 20% less than the previous season, which closed with 55 million kilos of white grape.

September will mark the culmination of the work in the vineyards which is usu-

ally celebrated with a riotous harvest festival.

The Fiesta de la Vendimia, declared a Festival of Regional Interest, is one of Spain’s oldest and greatest traditions. Coronavirus has

withered this year’s massed public revelries on the vine but ther is nothing stopping you from seeking out a bottle from last year and celebrating with your own socially-distanced toast.

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FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

August 5th - August 18th 2020

Lawyers, Guns and Three centuries after the British blew it out of the water, the booty battle for Spain’s most valuable treasure ship has shifted from the high seas to the high courts. Jack Gaioni reports.

S

URELY it was a typo. Or yet another shameless attempt at clickbait. But something in the headline just didn’t ring true: Spanish Shipwreck Found - Treasure Worth $20 Billion!

While the discovery of yet another Spanish shipwreck was plausible, $20 billion – a number that exceeds the GDP of many countries – seemed inconceivable. I did the math: $20 billion equals 20,000 million! From what I know about Spanish shipwrecks, even $20 million sounds like an exaggeration.

But in fact, the Spanish galleon San Jose, sunk in 1708 and recently discovered off Columbia in South America, is regarded as ‘the Holy Grail of all shipwrecks’ for its incredible sunken treasure.

Although this is not so much a story about the booty or the naval conflict involved. It’s more about how these battles, once waged by gunships on the high seas, are

now fought by lawyers in the high courts.

In June of 1708 the San Jose set sail from Cartagena, Columbia, with a cargo whose value exceeded Spain’s annual income. The gold, silver and emeralds aboard, mined by slaves in Spain’s colonies, was vital funding for its expensive War of Spanish Succession against the British. So bountiful was San Jose’s cargo that, had it arrived safely, it might have changed the course of Spanish history.

The British knew this and had other ideas. They viewed the San Jose as a ‘bank vault with sails’ and ventured to capture the ship and ‘appropriate’ its treasure for English coffers.

British Commodore Charles Wager and crew, armed with pistols, swords and knives tried three times to board the ship and were repelled. Wager then fired a cannon blast across the bow of the San Jose as a warning to surren-

SUNKEN GALLEON: Divers inspect a wreck in their search for treasure

der.

That one mis-shot scored a direct hit on the ship’s gunpowder store.

The galleon exploded and went down with 600 Spanish sailors and all of its treasure.

For the following three centuries it has rested on the floor of the Caribbean, 16km off the Columbian coast. Then in 2015, the USbased Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute ‘officially’ discovered it, identifying the wreck in 600 metres of water via a hightech robotic f r Wa k e s u submarine.

The bronze Wa k e b o a r d cannons, engraved with

Wa te r s k i

unique dolphin images, were since their ancestors mined the proof positive that it was indeed minerals as slaves. the San Jose.

Enter Spain, whose legal team And yet, 300 years after the fight claim ‘not-so-fast’ - there was no at sea, and five years after the entity known as Columbia when ship’s discovery, the modern-day the San Jose went down. It was battle over its valuable cargo has then part of the Spanish Empire. just begun.

Furthermore, Spain Columbia claims the is citing International cargo is theirs. After maritime law which Lain all, it had set sail states that if a wreck from a Columbian undisturbed for is proved to be a warport and was found ship, the cargo re300 years at in their territorial mains the property of waters. Columbia’s its country of origin the bottom of president considers (i.e. Spain). Columthe sea it an important part bia has countered of his country’s culwith assertions that tural heritage. the ship was on a The US salvage company, how- commercial, non-military venture. ever, is claiming ‘finders’ keep- Complicated? No doubt, but there ers’. They make the case that the are some legal precedents. entire discovery was only made In a similar case (2007), the possible through their own due American firm Odyssey Maritime diligence and funding. Indigenous Exploration made an interesting groups from Peru, Columbia and discovery. About 160km off the Bolivia are also staking a claim coast of Portugal, they managed

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For the latest news and information, find us on Facebook HIDDEN DEPTHS: Wreck contains tonnes of priceless treasures

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

August 5th - August 18th 2020

Loadsamoney

21

DRAMATIC: A depiction of the British attack that sent the San Jose and its cargo to the bottom of the sea

20th Anniversary! – 20 years serving you from our Mijas Shop

to salvage a ‘sizeable but undetermined’ quantity of silver coinage from the wreckage of a Spanish frigate, the Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes.

They transported her back to Tampa, Florida, for further assessment. Not long after, the Spanish government challenged the ownership of the silver within the US district court system. A bitter five-year court battle ensued but ultimately the courts ruled against Odyssey and the $357 million worth of silver was returned to Spain, where it remains under the auspices of the Museum of Underwater Archeology.

In yet another Spanish shipwreck wrangle, the courts ruled another

way. In 1622 the Spanish treasure 25% finders’ fee but no more. The salship Señora Atocha sank somewhere vage firm demanded full recompense between the Florida Keys and Hava- and for eight years the case was adna, Cuba. It was heavily judicated in internationladen with copper, gold, al maritime law courts, silver, gems, indigo and, courts and even the Spain, Florida state perhaps its most valuUS Supreme Court. Ultiable cargo, tobacco. mately, the finders were and Cuba Once again, an American awarded the rights to the fought through entire treasure. maritime salvage company identified and recov- the courts to no Granted, legal rights to ered some of Atocha’s Spanish shipwrecks can avail booty. get confusing. When Spain, the State of Florthere are over 1,000 docida and even Cuba all umented Spanish ships claimed title, try- ing to force wrecked en-route home from the New Treasure Salvors into a World, the stakes can be pretty high. contract, giving them a International law covers a spectrum of legal precedents making questions of ownership, national sovereignty, and finders’ fees even more speculative. Are the salvage compa●● The robotic nies pirates or archeologists? submarine used Are they plundering for profit to discover The or playing an important part San Jose, the Rein Spain’s cultural heritage? mus 6000, is capaThese questions are for the ble of depths up to 4000 mecourts to decide.

Recently, beachcombers along tres. It played a leading role in locating the east coast of Florida, armed with the 2009 crash of Air France Flight 447 in the equatorial nothing more than hand-held metal waters of the Atlantic Ocean. 228 passengers and crew detectors, found a few Spanish coins were lost. which had washed ashore.

The coins have been valued at $7,000 ●● The silver salvaged from the 2007 discovery of the - a modest sum when compared to Nuestra Señora de la Mercedes was valued at approxithe San Jose treasure but not bad mately $350 million. It was then viewed as the biggest for a day at the beach. Florida’s law underwater take ever salvaged. That value is less than 2% states that if the coins were found on dry land, the possession goes to the of the San Jose’s treasure. (I did the math!) finders. If the coins were found in the water - even one centimetre of water ●● The beachcombers found their coins on the aptly named then they might be property of Florida “Treasure Coast of Florida. It was so named because of or Spain or Cuba ... The beachcombthe many Spanish wrecks along this coastline. ers aren’t saying. My advice? Call a lawyer.

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F

COLUMNISTS Figs and Fings

IG season has just finished as I write, which means for the past couple of weeks I’ve been enjoying breakfast on my lakeside terrace with fresh fruit plucked straight from the tree.

Before you all start to get romantic visions of my pastoral lifestyle, however, it’s best to note that the fig picking is best done first thing in the morning, otherwise you end up fighting a losing battle against the residential wasp population.

August 5th - August 18th 2020

Giles Brown finds out that his favourite fruit has certain drawbacks...

It is also a good idea to have a quick look around to make sure there are no early morning fishermen or kayakers in the vicinity.

Stumbling around in shorts that you have just thrown on is never a good look and, as I have normally had just the one cup

Muzzle It! To mask or not to mask? That’s not a question, just please put one on, writes Belinda Beckett

F

IRST we were told not to bother, then they became advisable, swiftly moving to compulsory in certain locations (no one was sure where). Now in Andalucia, they’re obligatory outdoors too, on pain of a €100 fine.

It’s no secret why the science was slow to concede that masks protect others from coronavirus and, by virtue of that, ourselves. The politicians hadn’t bought enough to go round.

Now they have, a more nuanced debate over when and where they should be worn rages on.

Maskit has become a hotter topic than Brexit.

I’ve been wearing a face covering since before the WHO declared the pandemic, taking my lead from the Chinese who know a thing or two about respiratory viruses. Sure, masks aren’t 100% safe. Not if you keep yanking them up your nose with unsanitised hands while attending a protest march/ rave interspersed with umpteen visits to public loos and maybe even a furtive snog with a stranger. The statistics are skewed by those who get coronavirus while wearing their mask like a chin strap. Or over their eyes, like Donald Trump, who was worried he’d look like the Lone Ranger!

But after months in denial, even the Leader of the Free World has come around to them.

“Sitting in the Oval Office behind that beautiful Resolute Desk wearing a face mask as I greet presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, queens … somehow, I don’t see it for myself,” was his first thought on the subject. Later he conceded they were ok ‘in hospital where you’re talking to a lot of soldiers and people that just got off the operating tables’. Now, to save face, he has adopted a presidential cover-up because it’s ‘patriotic’ although, sadly, it hasn’t stopped him mouthing off.

If the 1918-20 Spanish Flu pandemic taught us anything it’s that we’ve learned nothing. ‘Obey the laws and wear the gauze, protect your jaws

THROWBACK: A vintage accessory from septic paws’ was one government slogan referring the heavy-duty six-ply cotton gauze masks people wore back then. Those who had the bare-faced cheek not to wear one were branded “slackers” – a derogatory WWI term for draft dodgers. In some American states they were slung into jail.

According to a recent YouGov survey, while 86% of Spanish and nearly as many Italians and French were cool about mask wearing, only 19% of Brits agreed and Americans and Canadians were similarly reticent. A revealing insight into the Mediterranean character versus the Protestant Ethic, perhaps? It’s certainly not the British stiff upper lip getting in the way, as fear of looking foolish was one of their reasons.

Personally, I would wear Micky Mouse ears and a curly pig tail if it meant we could all get our lives back. But if you’re really that worried about being a laughing stock, let’s all wear one. No more debate. Just muzzle it!

of coffee – saving the rest for breakfast – I am certainly in no mood to make pleasant conversation.

The other golden rule is to take your footwear off before you head back into the kitchen, or back to bed. Otherwise you run the risk of depositing squashed figs on the floor.

If you don’t pick the discarded fruit up quickly enough, you run the risk of attracting enough insects, assorted bugs and crawlies that will make your kitchen look like a scene from a Pixar animation.

I also lost a couple of kilos in the first week of August. No, it has nothing to do with the cleansing properties of figs.

The weight loss came as a result of standing in the supermarket queue as the newly arrived Madrileños did their traditional ‘first weekend of August’ shop. With multiple shopping trollies piled high with every considerable provision known, I pondered that Scott of the Antarctic probably took less stuff

BAREFACE: Beards are the latest COVID victim with him.

I would have swapped places with the doomed explorer as the heat rose and my beard became ridiculously itchy under the mask.The thought of having to endure this all summer was too much. I grabbed a

packet of razors and once back at the Casita quickly took my beard off.

Who would have thought that the latest victim of COVID-19 would be my facial hair?

MIJAS MATTERS

War of words

By Bill Anderson

Statistics are not a tool, they’re a weapon, writes Mijas Councillor Bill Anderson

I

am sick of it all. I am sick of COVID. I am sick of BREXIT: I am sick of everyone HAVING to be right! I am sick of everyone wanting to be first with the news, even if it is from a highly dodgy and unverified source. Rant over .. well, almost.

When I was teaching at university, one of the fallacies I always had to check out with students was called the “Appeal to Authority”.

How sad is it when the authority they quote is Social Media? ‘If I read it on Facebook, it must be true’.

I spent many years working with Central Government. It was then that I discovered that politics is a fundamentally dishonest business.

Without breaking the Official Secrets Act, I can tell you that governments only tell you what they want you to know. Statistics are not a tool, they are a weapon.

They are not used to inform but to push government agendas, and information will be presented in such a way as to justify decisions they make. Anyone who has ever worked in academia will tell you, that one set

of statistics can be used to demonstrate almost whatever you want. It all depends on how and what you present, and what you miss out.

“There are three kinds of lies: Lies, damned lies, and statistics,” said Benjamin Disraeli. Well that’s one take on it. But I often come back to the writings of fellow Scot, Andrew Lang. The poet, novelist, and literary critic wrote in 1937, ‘Most people use statistics as a drunken man uses a lamppost; more for support than illumination’.

If we even think for a moment that governments will present statistics that go against their courses of action, we are deluded. I am not knocking Spain here, by the way; this is not a Spanish thing. We are ambushed at a multinational level with the same things.

So now, people are saying, ‘Well. if all the governments are saying it, it must be true’. If 80% of the population believe in God, does that prove that God exists?

It neither makes God exist nor otherwise.

As a former psychologist, I

am fascinated by the way the media, whether government or private, has embraced the concept of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). What is it?

Amongst other things NLP uses language to make it easier for people to change their thoughts and actions.

This has been adopted by the media, marketing, governments and other charlatans, to manipulate the way people perceive things. They use strong and emotive language, firstly to grab attention, and then to transmit their message.

Of course, in Spain, 1,600 new COVID positives (at the time of writing) is a cause for concern. But spread over half a million square kilometres, and between 43 million people, hardly justifies the term ‘Outbreak’. But you see, outbreak is far more potent than ‘new cases, most of whom have been sent home to self-quarantine’.

I have also learned that in such polarised situations, people will not shift their stance regardless of the evidence, so I am not even going to try.

OP Puzzle solutions Quick Crossword Across: 7 Tutu, 8 Talented, 9 Par, 10 Pile, 11 Anaconda, 12 Tea caddy, 14 Gown, 16 Cram, 17 Startled, 19 Smoulder, 21 Alky, 22 Ebb, 23 Careless, 24 Legs.

Down: 1 Mutineer, 2 Supercomputer, 3 Strand, 4 Sleazy, 5 Unforgettable, 6 Deed, 13 Dot, 15 Wreckage, 17 Sudden, 18 Arrest, 20 Meat.

SUDOKU

22

SPORT

August 5th - August 18th 2020

Into the big time CADIZ CF secured promotion back to La Liga on Sunday (July 12) after a hiatus of 14 years.

So, working under the assumption that supporters will be allowed back in stadia by the time next season starts on September 12, we decided to take a look at what the city and the team have to offer.

Following the relegation of El Submarino Amarillo (the yellow submarine) in 2006, the club and the area went into a long economic slump which, Covid-19 notwithstanding, they had just started to emerge from.

Cadiz got off to a flier at the start of the season, under inspirational head coach Alvaro Cervera.

They won the first 10 games of their Segunda Division, and that initial momentum helped propel them all the way to the title - and the promised land of the top division.

They have come a long way since they spent six years languishing in the third flight, only returning to the Segunda Division in 2016.

In March of this year, just before lockdown, an unnamed American businessman made a sizeable investment in the club, which has been used to modernise the

23

Cadiz celebrates football promotion but has more to offer

infrastructure and general facilities.

On the field, former Real Madrid player Alex, who operates from central midfield, was his team’s top scorer, with 11 goals.

Fans were delirious when promotion was guaranteed and the people of the beautiful Andalusian port city are looking forward to welcoming supporters from the likes of Barcelona and Sevilla.

So what of Cadiz itself? Almost completely surrounded by water, it can boast of almost 3000 years of history.

Its people are said to be the friendliest and happiest in the whole country and they revel in their reputation as hard partygoers.

The most famous beach in Cadiz, Playa de La Caleta, is right in the old town.

It appeared in the James Bond film Die Another Day (in imitation of Havana, Cuba). Movie buffs will recall the scene when the radiant Halle Berry emerged from the sea like Aphrodite.

The cove is marked by a Moorish-style white balneario (spa) and flanked by

By Andy McInnes

two ancient fortresses (Castillo de Santa Catalina and Castillo de San Sebastián).

Spain’s oldest covered market - the Mercado Central de Abastos is here. Originally built in 1838, it was reopened 10 years ago after restoration and remodelling, yet still retains its 19th-century allure.

More than 150 stalls sell everything from sushi (at Gadisushi) and Argentinean empanadas (Argendarte) to fresh tuna and live snails.

The market is best visited on Friday or Saturday, when crowds eat fried fish and swill ice-cold manzanilla, so perfect for tying in with a visit to the Ramon de Carranza (Cadiz CF’s home stadium).

Celebrity chef Rick Stein is a fan of its most famous tapas bar, Taberna Casa Manteca, founded in 1953 and it’s a must-visit.

La Pepa, Spain’s first constitution, was established in Cádiz more than 200 years ago. The revolutionary charter, a testament to the grit and liberal values of the city’s

History, adventure and romance.

That’s just the setting.

ELATED: Cadiz fans were celebrating after promotion was clinched residents, aimed to establish national sovereignty, divide power and ultimately give rights to working people.

It was passed on March 19, 1812 as Napoleon’s troops battered but failed to conquer the resilient seafaring city. Historic La Pepa locations include the Oratorio de San Felipe Neri, where it was passed, and Plaza San Antonio, where it was once read

aloud.

History buffs will be impressed by the fact that the Battle of Trafalgar (1805) took place just an hour’s drive south of the city. All in all, there are 76 beaches in the province of Cadiz so you’re bound to find one you like.

If you’re keen to hang around for a few hours after the final whistle, Café Pelicano

is Cádiz’s answer to Liverpool’s world-famous Cavern Club, showcasing local and international artists who play anything from jazz to rock’n’roll.

It’s on Avenue Fernández Ladreda 1, on Facebook, daily, 6pm-4am Cadiz (team and city) has awoken from a long slumber, so time to get along there and soak up the magic.

Join us for a celebration of history, art, heritage and pageantry in a unique part of the world.

With a UNESCO world heritage site offering 120,000 years of human history and only short drive from the Costa del Sol, enjoy the warmth of the British Gibraltarians and splash out VAT-free in Sterling.

Gibraltar. Sun, sea and history served with a very British twist.

PROUD

BRITISH

For further information call: Gibraltar Tourist Board +350 200 74950 Or to download a brochure go to: www.visitgibraltar.gi

www.visitgibraltar.gi

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Pride and prejudiced

FINAL WORDS

CATALAN Dragons player Israel Folau has outraged fans after not taking the knee for the Black Lives Matter movement when playing against St Helens in Sunday’s Super League rugby match.

Sky-high scrap TWO men have been arrested after a fight broke out on a flight from Amsterdam to Ibiza. Tensions rose between passengers, one topless, after several drunk men refused to wear facemasks.

Stitch in time CLEANING staff at the Ministry of Justice have been awarded the Cross of San Raimundo de Peñafort after turning the basement of the government building into a hand-sewn face mask workshop.

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Vol. 13 Issue 349 www.theolivepress.es August 5th - August 18th 2020

Dirty Minks

Brits on top

Spain may have a reputation for being a country full of passion and fiery lovers.

But it seems that when it comes to bonking, it is the Brits that come out on top.

Prudish Brits have defied expectations as new stats reveal that

Latin lovers not the lotharios they are made out to be couples in the UK are having the most sex in Europe.

To collect the data BettingTips4You.com asked 2,729 adults in a relationship from

11 countries how often they slipped between the sheets.

British lovers claimed to get randy around 12 times a month. Germany came next, with 11 sessions a month followed by the Netherlands This is Spain’s most ‘handsome’ man 2020. and Belgium Manuel Romo, from Extremadura, has been named the most on nine. handsome man in Spain. The 24-year-old has won the title of Meanwhile Mister International Spain 2020, after entering the beauty competition held in Castellon, on July 24. latin lovers Contrary to the ruling of the competition, a poll held by El limped beHuffington online revealed that 96% of 3009 voters, dishind with agreed with Romo being the best looking man in Spain. couples from The six foot three beauty pageant winner wore a national Italy, Spain costume, a gold swimming speedo, and an evening outfit for and France the categories in the competition. admitting Romo has a degree in Administration, Business management, that they did and Law, and is currently living in Portugal. the horizontal In an interview with ¡Hola! he said his new title gives him a tango just two chance to be an ’ambassador for the 21st-century man, who to four times cares for himself on the outside but also on the inside.’ a month.

Who’s looking good?

The average love-making session for Brits was said to last around 19 minutes, with 15% saying they usually did the dirty after drinking alcohol.

Over a quarter of respondents said they preferred to bonk before breakfast, while some 21% said they preferred sex before going to sleep.

Of those who preferred sex in the morning some 36% said it was because it set them up for the day and 38% said it was because they were too tired in the evening.

Spokesman John Pentin said: “Surely, this survey dismantles the myth of the Latin countries being hot-blooded lovers.

“The EU should be worried that with Brexit they are losing the best-performing sex country in the whole continent!”

SCIENTISTS have begun research to see if humans can catch coronavirus back from minks after an outbreak in a farm in La Puebla de Valverde during the height of the virus.

At the time, 14 employees tested positive for COVID-19, with two others becoming infected after the operation was closed down.

Currently researchers say it is “plausible” that some workers caught the virus back from minks but are uncertain of the extent of the threat.

Over 92,000 minks were killed at the farm in Aragon as approximately nine out of 10 of the animals had contracted the virus.

Teen surprise TRAFFIC cops who pulled over a driver found he was a 13-year-old barely able to peek over the steering wheel.

Alicante Policia Local agents got early morning reports of a car driving erratically around the Lo Morant park area of the city and intercepted the vehicle.