November 11th - November 24th 2020
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Expat leader Charlie Ward
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SIGN: Graffiti that identifies with the deranged theorists of QAnon disfigures a wall in Orgiva
- Ou HORRIFIC: Millions
of fish died
Demands for €80m flood aid
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A VEGA Baja mayor has demanded €80m in flood aid for the devastated Murcia region. Los Alcazares leader Mario Perez Cervera insisted a major flood retention project should urgently to prevent be implemented ous flooding that the sort of serihappened in September. He told the government in Madrid this week that it serve the Mar is also vital to preMenor, which was badly hit by the so-called Gota Fria. The week of heavy deaths of millions rain led to the struction of dozensof fish and the deHe insisted future of homes. floods needed to
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Vol. 1 Issue 1 www.theolivepress .es
November 7th - November
VANISHED! 20th, 2019
T is a particularly sweet landmark. Against the odds, our youngest edition - Costa Blanca south/Murcia - has made it to its first anniversary. Launched in November last year, we couldn’t have picked a more testing time OLIVE PRESS as our fifth edition creaked its way through a difficult win12 ter into an agonising Spring and traumatic Summer. ACTION But we held it together and over 26 S N IO AT ST issues we managed to bring the region’s expats a range of investigative JANU ARY SALE NOW stories, features and even the odd JANUARY SALE NOW campaign. Highlights included the expat OLIVE PRESS group formed to tackle squatters to the Brit who beat COVID-19 twice, and from a probe into motoring conman Goose chase Ch Simon Davies to the scandal of chari- trad arity case e deal ty shops having to pay IVA. Then there were the floods, the sad case of pensioner Philip Pearce and the capture of Britain’s Most Wanted Louis Robinson in Murcia. All in all, we would not have been VIVAL ISSUE THE EXPAT SUR able to do all that without you, our E OLIV readers. PRESS Thanks to your commitment, civility and courage in talking to us we can report accurately on what is happening out there every issue. ...REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL Launching a paper in the middle of winter, then going on to battle the O twin challenges of a global pandemic P and Brexit may have been a struggle - but we have enjoyed every minute of it. Here’s to the next year and beyond! Continues on Page
10
Right turn
Duty of care claims after missing British great-grandfather was allowed to leave police station at 3am in clearly disoriented state EXCLUSIVE By Joshua Parfitt
POLICE on the
Costa Blanca A DANGEROUS have been slammed after they could see Spain’slurch to the right allowed a confused and disorienVox party becominganti-immigrant tated British great-grandfather ers in this weekend’s the kingmakto walk out of general election. into the dead of a police station The massive surge The family of night alone. the recent Catalan - off the back of Pearce, 68, arepensioner Philip of Islam - could crisis and a fear demanding ancomment on individual swers from Benidorm see the party seizing 15% of the seats cases’ such as Philip’s. why he was released police over DISAPPEARED: Philip The expected gains in Parliament. Pearce A Policia Nacional on Septem- (above right) ber 10, at 3am. the last picture enjoying a drink (above), damage centre-right will seriously claimed ‘helicopters’ spokesman while of the pensioner They now fear for Ciudadanos, which could lose in Alicante Airport “It’s scrambled to search had been has been missing his life after he us absolutely gut-wrenching for while the ruling over half its seats, as a family, not for an alarming ther-of-three. various Benidorm for Philip on PSOE and left wing two months. Podemos are also hillsides. he is and why he knowing where Owner of However, he failed expected to sufAnd in a shocking Alicante Transfers, fer. to answer “I just want him disappeared. David McQueen, questions about home British Consulate,email from the miss Vox, which has the exact details pledged to ‘defend’ him so much.” so badly. I spent ‘four to five’ said he has of his release from seen by the Olive Press this Spain from immigrants, the station or hours every whether week, day scouring abandoned is predictthere are Philip was known to sniffer ed to finish third suggestions of a build- searches had dogs and ground in the country’s breach of duty from the early signsbe suffering ings and traveller fourth general election of care. been deployed communities would tia, but was ‘happy of demen- around the in as many or years. be soon. Costa Blanca. The official email and smiling’ when The latest polling pensioner had clearlyreveals the friend he left for Alicante with a “I even sent my dog out with suggests Vox, led Have you seen GoPro a and told by Santiago Abascal, travelling camera police he to search in every in ‘did not remember Philip? partner. bush touch at newsdesk@Get its 24 seats in Spain’s will increase where he He was having a good was staying’ nor holiday we’ve and in every corner, but theolivepress.es 350-seat parwhere he was until he left his Playa liament to 46. found nothing,” from in England.
Failed
Levante hotel at 5.30pm to buy cigaretteson September 9 his bearings and before he lost
Wallet
said. “I’ve got 130 taxi drivers who start
was taken to at 4am Meanwhile Albert The consulate email police. and finish Rivera’s Ciudadanos will be Philip was carrying also stated Two months at 2am, but none on, Lee told the neither his of 14. In the 40dBreduced from 57 to passport nor his Ol- the hotels ive Press gain 14% of the poll Vox is set to he was taken by wallet when search anda request for ‘a ground tablishmentsand esvote, alongside the sniffer dogs’ has PP in second place Benidorm’s Policia a stranger to unanswered, gone seen a sign of have with 21.2% and Phil91 seats and the Nacional stawhile the family tion in the Old are ip.” Town just after left searching for answers. with 27.3% and PSOE coming first midnight, as CCTV The The PSOE’s 121 votes. footage con- “We just need closure on wheth- spent family has predicted victory firms. er my dad is still would see the party alive or not,” ting up weeks putHowever, what is Lee said. posters and seats than in April’s with two less and why he was not clear is how “But apart handing out prompting another last election, headache for its the station three allowed to leave sent out from claiming to have of his missing flyers leader Pedro Sanchez some father “The police are hours later. the police don’t drones to look, around Benidorm form a government. as he tries to simply not seem
The
Opinion page 6
to be doing
answering our questions,” son Lee Pearce, 41, told the Olive Press last night.
anything at all.” It comes as scores idents have spent of British resweeks searching for signs of the grandfa-
with contact details. A spokeswoman for the British Consulate told the Olive Press it ‘does not
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14-metre waves A SERIES of giant this week as lashed eastern Spain officially the Storm Gloria became winter storm since most destructive walls of 1982. The record-breaking that left nine water – and weather as Spain declared dead – came on cue
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Issue 335
BLOG OFF
Water worry a to drink, be it was safe may not
of believing pharmaceutical SPAIN’s has issued a warndecades Spain’s tap water watchdogsocial media influ- After finds ing over dodgy health new study encers pushing is among products. (General Council tap water Associ- SPAIN’s in Europe. The CGCF has filed a the worst Barcelona study of Physiotherapist Spain) has the fourth major ations of with the Spanish Afound it carries cancer for bladder about peocomplaint highest risk Health Ministry medicinal continent. that longcondi- on the suggest a group of ple promoting for beauty Findings to 0.1%, treatments proper knowl- term exposuretap water called ( of less than in the tions without may be of THM count law, chemicals by the Netherlands on the cases edge or training. followed Germany (0.2%). of THMs to Spanish is trihalomethanes one in 20 and only CyAccording promotion is cause forcancer in Europe each highest levels also concluded - behind with 0.1%) and bathing such medical continent 23.2%, Malta wa- The scientists bladder aland advertising disease, Barcelona by indus- year. prus with Ireland’s Liffeythird that showering banned from the trigger the to enter can also 17.9% and a surprising Scientists for Global Health strictly monitored chemicals the the tap ter coming with 17.2%. the lowing thevia the pores of Institute try professionals. analysed
end of the body from bottom (ISGlobal)all 28 EU countries opposite Denmark’s skin. At the and Romania water of with a horror list, 2018. social meexcept Bulgaria compared 2005 and tap wa- H2O was the purest, Spanish or obese varieties. water between However have been advocatSpain’s 10.9%, the fourth being overweight lower-fat dia ‘stars’ of certain creams, to At out with odds of peers who drank whole milk causes ing the use tablets in orderun- ter came with their speculated that reduces snacking. which wipes andcosmetic issues, of 28 studIt has been to feel fuller, the resultsseven counhelp withsome of the potential children beacross are less The research combined aware of that indiscrimithe correlation full-fat milk given were conducted health risks and the risk ies that who drink can cause. had explored than those Martin cows milk nate use Guillermo CHILDREN tries, which drinking be overweight children Pharmacist noticed the problikely to or semi-skimmed. in The American of that tween overweight. Melgar firsta certain brandwas skimmed were publishedand they foundlower of being lem when facial wipes to 40% The findings only Clinical Nutritionmilk had prescription Journal ofwho drank whole selling out, suddenly being recommendchildren chanfind it was Youtube for acne. ed by a popular nel as a treatment
Risks
Milk matters
By Joshua Parfitt
of ‘climate emergena landmark state cy’ for the entire country. (below) insistLeader Pedro Sanchez would now ed ecological transition
44, died in Asturias first victim, age of government on Sunday when a truck lost control into be at the ‘forefront’ unprecedented ‘clisnowfall and crashed snow action with an expected within 100 in heavy he was putting on mate change law’ the steps of scores his car while chains. days, following in the world. a 63-year-old died The following day roof of countries across storms lashed in Avila after he was struck by a man It came after serious a 70-year-old Alalso leaving millions the Costa Blanca, of euros of damage. tile. Meanwhile in Moixent, died of hypothermia close to Gale force 9 winds icante after falling into snowpeople – havoc wrought and two homeless Carcaixin 115km/h his home, with Gandia and another record- one in also died from hypothermia. winds ent – included in Oliva anda Four people died yesterday,a homehailstorm, waves reaching in ing a farmer in a record-breaking less person killed by hypothermiacol8.44m in Valen- Almeria, a woman whose house car cia, and a shocking lapsed in Alcoy, and a man whose near Benidorm. 14.22m in Ibiza. was swept off a road So far, nine people Four are still missing in Catalunyaa have died around and the Balearic Islands – including Spain, with a fur- 25-year-old Brit in Ibiza. the ther four missing Leading climatologists backed around the Bale5 aric Islands and Continues on Page The Catalunya.
We’ve gota learn
to guide OM! Ourbest yoga 17 Spain’s SEE Page breaks
or by pockets of arcticbedrop) is caused A gota fría (cold southeast across western Europe climate, Mediterannean polar air that move warmer, humid fore meeting the scientist Jorge Olcina. hence according to Alicante ‘isolated’ at high altitude,at High Depression The cold blast becomes DANA, or Isolated its spanish term Mediterannean Altitudes. and contact with warmer When coming into vapours immediately condense Orihuein one burst. In air, the rising humid quantity of water 400mm of water fell in drop a massive 2019 over average precipila back in September nearly twice annual less than 48 hours, freak gota fría. tation, due to a
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HUNDREDS ty shops are of British-run chariignoring new laws that require Spanish them to charge ue added tax val(IVA) on second-hand goods. A UK plan for A tax clampdown deal with thea Canada-style free trade already slammed has seen a number with big fines, been rejected. European Union has many more with now It comes as UK the Olive Press in the firing line, Johnson laid outPrime Minister Boris One well knowncan reveal. shop on the deal with Brusselshis vision for a trade Blanca is now facing fines of Costa ‘no need’ to follow insisting there was €24,000’ ‘up to EXCLUSIVE after an inspection EU rules. His aim is an vealed they By Joshua Parfitt reCanada signedagreement like the one throughout charged no IVA on sales 2018. goods. tariffs on most in 2016 where import The Torrevieja goods have been charity’s accountant, It comes as another inated. The flow elim- who asked not to be named, British charity, which has two banking – which of services, such as shops are being viewed as any said has also been shops in Torrevieja, tance to the UK is of more impor- high-street other hit with a €5,000 after an inspection more restricted. – however are much changes to business following law fine He also mentioned behaviour. crackdown on fraudulent revealed was paid on however, that if this deal is not second-hand no IVA 2017. the UK will return items in reached “The to the Withdrawal not government’s view is that “It’s completely Agreement, or fair that it is dent, who asked unfair,” the presiAustralia. Borishave a similar deal to is charging a legitimate business IVA on sales to protect the to remain nameless tled ‘unleashing used his speech - ti- door a charity while shop can cut next an work, told charity’s humanitarihighlight the factBritain’s potential’ - to prices,” the down “Our charity the Olive Press. to revert to the that the UK intends ive Press thisaccountant told the Olgovernment issteps in because the sation (WTO) World Trade Organi- “There are week. a lot of expats citizens, and failing to care for its UNDER PRESSURE: such a deal. Heterms if the EU refuses to make themselves who need Charity shops them for it? now we have to pay fines. phatically not said: “The choice is em- is not a clampdown aware that this face hefty Government “Factoring 21% “The question‘deal or no deal’. government doing but merely the Susan is whether we fines its job properly.” prices will heavilyIVA into existing charity Weeding, who operates trading relationship “You have to agree a The accountant bear in mind four affect the shops for do and mean parable to Canada’s with the EU com- Hacienda over said he was fighting we reach fewerwork we Care Rescue Centreher Easy Horse of our rescues come at the that most the money demandin need.” tralia’s. In either - or more like Aus- ed from his request of people she ‘might in Rojales, said police and councils directly – someas The president that Britain will case, I have no doubt not aware’ client as the client ‘was starts having well give up’ if she times from as far as of prosper mightily.” to pay IVA to ty shops were added his two chari- ernment. Murcia and He pointed the laws. the gov- Granada. some ‘of the very out that back British-run enterprises See Time’s Up “We’re not allowed in the UK, charity few’ “The home on page 6 shops enjoy which are the September storms already now adding the as they become to re-home them ro-rated VAT zeVega Baja region tax. left on sales of donated evidence in He urged all with no forage cases, so why should court crops and we’re charity shops we be hit by the double sure they are not to make to keep our 121 now in debt just government for doing our liable to donkeys horses, best?” alive,” she said. ponies and Opinion Page 6
Hundreds of British-run charity shops are facing fines after ignoring tax laws
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the Deep State as part of a wider ‘Earth Tanya Grenfell Williams, from Tijola, told Alliance’. the Olive Press: “Qanon is tapping into Along with the ‘Q’ team and Trump, this people’s fears by providing something alliance allegedly and rather frighteningconcrete in these precarious times, even ly comprises: ‘loyal generals and other if it is false and feeding QAnon’s own high-ranking members of the armed forcagenda. es’; ‘the white hats of the National Secu“Unfortunately, these more liberal thinkrity Agency (NSA)’; and numerous global ers, normally left-leaning, are finding military leaders - Vladamir Putin; Xi Jincomfort in these dangerous conspiracy ping of China; India’s prime minister Nartheories and naively promoting them to endra Modi; and crown prince Bin Salman other people.” of Saudi Arabia (the one who ordered the Sorrell Badger, an administrator of the Orkilling and chopping up of journalist, Jagiva and Alpujarra Covid Group on Facemal Khashoggi, in 2018). book, is less polite. According to local Q bigwig Charlie Ward “It’s such a transparent load of b*llocks,” (see panel left), the main purpose of the she told the Olive Press. Earth Alliance is the dis“I don’t know how anyone missal of the 13 ‘demon with a functioning brain can bloodline families of the illufall for it. I also find it worminated Deep State clique’. rying that the same people How can This world transition is, apdownplay COVID and call it parently, being financed by a ‘plandemic’. Just look at anyone with the Chinese Dragon Family. the death toll in the US – Confused? It’s no surprise. 210,000.” a functioning And that so many people resident Nick Chambrain fall for it Orgiva subscribe to this patent bers added: “QAnon is a nonsense becomes less of massive distraction for peoa laughing matter when one ple who really should know considers that these are the better. It is taking attention people that Trump is seeking to inflame to away from the real issues of today - the support his increasingly deranged claims massive inequity of global wealth, the milthat the US election is being ‘stolen’ from itary industrial complex and, the really big him… one, global climate chaos.” And the worst news? It’s arrived on “QAnonsense”, snapped Orgiva-based Spain’s Costas, especially within the exphotographer Fred Shively, who hails from pat community... the US, summing it up in a word. Take Orgiva, a town with a thriving alterHowever, with QAnon hijacking the native community, some of whom are #SaveTheChildren hashtag for its own posting messagpurposes, some people have been ates promoting Q tracted by evidence that institutionalised on Facebook and paedophilia does exist. sharing pictures of “There’s definitely a paedo cover up,” Estepona ‘conspircommented Orgiva resident Solomon acy picnics’. Cardy. “Do you believe that Epstein killed Residents in the himself? Alpujarran mar“I don’t subscribe to QAnon but I do subket town of Orgiva scribe to there being a massive paedo are reporting ‘Q’ ring involving many politicians and I’m and ‘WWG1WGA’ glad it’s finally coming to light.” (where we go With QAnons pointing out that Jimmy Saone, we go all) vile was connected to the UK royal family, graffiti splashed and that Epstein is proof of the pudding, across local some might say this area of debate has walls. some credence. Meanwhile However, it does not validate the rest of some members the QAnon theories or that Trump – a of the community have been attending friend of Epstein and on record discuss‘conspiracy theory picnics’ in an Estepoing ‘grabbing p*ssy’ – is crusading for the na mansion where they can listen to QAbenefit of humanity. non ‘red pill’ speeches with ‘private intel’ With COVID on the increase and a huge from the likes of British expat oil magnate lack of leadership and scientific rationalCharlie Ward – the most prominent figure ism in the fight against the pandemic, one in Andalucia’s Q scene. thing seems certain. People will turn more With these right-wing views seeping into and more to the absolutist certainly of the the local community, many Alpujarra resikind of theories spouted by the chancers dents are unimpressed with Q propaganand crackpots typified by QAnon. Fasten da landing on their doorstep. your seatbelts…
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plot of a B-movie, QAnon has gained traction worldwide, with its supporters trying to decipher ‘Q drops’ and joining forces to fight against the satanic cabal. And while critics denounce Q fans as delusional, the QAnons claim that the public has been brainwashed by the ‘mainstream media’ (MSM). People are, in this respect, polarised in their opinions. Many describe QAnon as being ‘cult-like’. Now, remarkably, it has taken root in the alternative communities of Andalucia’s Alpujarras and is spreading like coronavirus throughout the Costa Del Sol and Costa Blanca. For its supporters, known as ‘QAnons’, it’s something to cling onto during the COVID crisis. For others it is a lucrative business opportunity with Q-themed events popping up in luxury venues along the Costa. One of the main criticisms of QAnon is that the underlying concept is loosely based on the theories promoted by the Nazis to encourage anti-Semitism and justify the holocaust. The Nazis were interested in esoterism and magic, as well as Eastern religions. This helps explain why this newer version of the conspiracy theory proves popular with the ‘cosmic right’ – a catch-all term that includes ex-new age travellers, yogis, spiritualists and the alternative community. For Qanons, Trump is a James Bond-like figure, fighting with the good guys against
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The 60-year-old oil magnate, money and self-stated ex-cult member claim trader s that he has been down subterranean tunnels unregistered gold was stored, wher where e shops and houses exist, and people ride arou nd in golf carts. Such is the current popularity of Q – and ed theories - that Ward has gained 166,relatonline subscribers in five months and 000 11.5 million views (https://www.youtu user/drcharlieward). He also chargesbe.com/ an entry fee for his ‘club’. For some entrepreneurs, Q is a boost for business. Peggy Boer runs regular Q Parties at Los Caballos in Estepona, where guesCortijo €22 a ticket and €80 for a night’s accots pay mmodation to hear speakers like Charlie Ward . One such event, branded ‘Conspira cy Protocol’, attracted 95 guests and was atten by the Policia Nacional although they ded supposedly sent packing by the mas were conspiracy theorists (they don’t believe k-less in face coverings). Other popular QAnon themes – as seen in their videos – include anti-vaccination, tian religion, hydroxychloroquine (as Chrisfor Covid), the ‘plandemic’, Trump nota cure a woman-molester, the evil of Bill Gate being George Soros, the dangers of 5G and s and between ‘one world government or a choice There is also a strong pro-Brexit elem Trump’. ent.
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The top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are: Breaking: Spain’s Andalucia to close off all of its 1-municipalities and bars and restaurants to close at 6pm (52,917 views) shops in crisis as shutters are pulled 2- Benidorm down on Spain’s Costa Blanca (49,168 views) Breaking: Jet2 suspends all flights and holidays 3-between England and Spain’s Canary Islands until end of lockdown (39,780 views) slump causes 47-year blowback for Costa 4- Tourist Blanca’s Alicante-Elche airport in Spain (37,154 views) to Spain until early 2021 5- Jet2 suspends flights (34,644 views)
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