Olive Press Costa Blanca North and Valencia Issue 118

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NOLOTIL WARNING

Outrage as dangerous Spanish painkiller continues to be given to Brits despite being banned

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Turn over a new leaf with a tour of the most cultured corners of Spain See page 12

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Issue 304

November 7th - November 20th 2018

17

errania de Ronda

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November 7th - November 20th 2018

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

‘

NICE promenades, good wine, excellent food and nothing to do…’

Thus Ernest Hemingway wrote off the town where he spent numerous holidays drinking the local wine and carousing at corridas, no doubt disappointing many of Ronda’s proud residents with his puzzlingly lacklustre review.

Most of today’s travellers - including Britain’s last two prime ministers and an American First Lady - would certainly disagree with him. Ronda has been crowned Andalucia’s third most-visited town and it’s not hard to see why.

The so-called ‘City of Dreams’ is a true wanderlust gem and somewhat of a celebrity hang-out.

This year alone, Theresa May, Anne Hathaway, Ricky Gervais, Jodie Whittaker, Gordon Ramsay, Kristin Scott Thomas and Spain’s ex-premier Mariano Rajoy have all allegedly visited the stunning mountain town... so say locals in the know.

Obama

Michelle Obama also made headlines when she visited in 2010, touring the old town and discovering the Moorish dynasty with her daughter Sasha.

Celebrity chef Jean Christophe Novelli went house hunting in the town after falling in love with it in 2009.

With its spectacular high sierra setting, leafy parks, cobbled lanes and atmospheric ventas it’s no wonder Ronda has stolen the hearts of so many travellers.

Over the centuries a slew of writers have waxed lyrical about its timeless character, stunning views and charming locals.

The German poet Rilke baptised it the ‘City of Dreams’, Orson Welles took a shine to its bullfighting scene and Continues on Page 18

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What do a British pilot, Country Life magazine and two English teens have to do with Franco’s victory in the Spanish Civil War? SEE PAGE 13

20th 2018

‘You’re killing us!’

MESSAGES: Left for

ENVIRONMENTAL groups are taking legal action ‘failing to tackle toxic against the Junta for Ecologistas en Accion air’ in the Campo de Gibraltar. ing nothing has been has filed a complaint with the Health Ministry, done to protect citizens claimcaused by the expansion from a rise in air pollutants According to the green of ‘toxic’ industries in the Bay of Algeciras. lutants were released group, more than 10,000 tonnes of dangerous into the atmosphere last polThis includes potentially year. lethal cancer-causing chemical other fine particles. benzene, as well as The writ comes as Cadiz province was officially air quality in Spain. declared to have the worst And alarmingly, La Linea, polluted place in the worldwhich borders Gibraltar, ranks as the 30th most The shocking stats were in terms of air quality. revealed in a damning World tion report which lists Health Organisathe world’s ‘most contaminated’ towns and cities.

teen

Tragic end “IT’S a dirty world that I don’t want to live in anymore.”

These were the intended last words of a British teen who on a suicide pact withhad embarked her 16-yearold boyfriend in Marbella.

The privately-educated added: “I’m Sorry: To expat, 14, has ever loved/known anyone who me, thank you, I love or supported you and I will miss you.”

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NOLOTIL VICTORY

However, her heartfelt had a cruel, bizarre twist, messages British-Brazilian boyfriendwhen her Richard Fitzsimons managed to take his life off the top of the Corte partment store, while Ingles deshe miraculously survived.

It came as a hero security guard somehow managed to before she was able to grab the girl death after her lover. plunge to her In a tragically sad incident - that has shocked the coast and lines around the world made head- the teenager, who we are not naming A LETHAL reasons, is now requiring for legal sponsible forpainkiller believed to be rethe deaths of dozens of exserious pats is finally being regulated Nolotil, which the Olive Press in Spain.

Continues page 2 tigated for nearly two years, has inveshas been TM

EXCLUSIVE

By Yzabelle Bostyn

into the Campo

Adding salt to the wound,

Cadiz also came bottom

banned for tourists in Spain.

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

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so many people,” she told the Olive Press.

Now, Cristina is launching a lawsuit against the Spanish Ministry of Health after she claims doctors are not following the guidelines and patients are still being given the drug ‘against their will’.

A spokesperson for the hospital said: “ H C B Hospitals follows the recommen-

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It insisted that the recommendation is followed and patients are informed about the best available treatments.

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EXCLUSIVE

By Laurence Dollimore

A BRITISH expat couple are fighting to save their Malaga home from demolition over a technicality.

Gill and Bob Ward, both 74, have been locked with their town in a battle claims their house hall, which in Almayate is illegal.

Just yesterday the retired couple from Cornwall were given

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

British dentists are supporting and doctors the ban after Briton Graham Ward, 75, complained to of how he was the Olive Press deadly Nolotil prescribed the one month to tist last week.drug by a denonly property knock down their same drug that It’s the very (pictured above). was blamed In a court order for killing his Dr Nina King, wife in 2006. seen by the Olive Press, The Marbella-based the campaign, of Oasis Dental Care in Marbella, the Wards are warned they will expat was furious when fully supports she prescribes.telling the Olive Press the he was told nally responsible be held crimidrug is not something to take the painkiller “It’s not a drug “I don’t know if they refuse. by his Spanish dentist, she said, “And I use, I stick to safe and standard more, I’m at what to do anying from a difficultafter suffermedication,” I won’t be usingafter seeing what damage abscess. tether” Gill toldthe end of my it can do, it’s His wife Mary, Marbella-based in the future.” the Olive Press, a drug 59, had died af“I’m totally exhausted ter being prescribed private doctor Almeda also agrees Dra. Victoria from the the same whole ordeal.” drug following María Chacón the drug is dangerous. the drug,” she The retired pair, tomy at Costa a double vasectients and I am told the Olive Press, “I have “I don’t prescribe spent thousands who have now “Within 24 del Sol Hospital.

“There needs aware of what it is capable lots of British pagal costs, bought of euros on leto be a lot more in intensive hours she was of care, her white research on its doing. house ‘in ruins’ the old farmblood cell count impact.” in 2004, and plummeted doctor to get were given permission to zero within days,” explains renewal in April,a from Velez-Malaga Graham, a former The dad-of-two town hall to computer tests showed build it. retechnician, from later died from the HAPPIER TIMES: London. drug had caused But when the She never regained Graham with septic shock original wall colconscious- again. wife, and Billy a toxic poisoning lapsed of its own ness and was – believed to Smyth accord during in his bone marconstruction, be machine for on a life support “He said she Metamizole, Nolotil linked to taking would be alive FOUR months, she tect told themthe Wards’ archibefore spending is banned row and his white if hadn’t taken the Nolotil. it would be fine it, but I have in the US, the UK, Ireland three years heard and that he would fighting the most of Europe, and blood cell was from dozens Another impact of the and let the town dangerously low. of Brits hall know. Unfortunately Britbut it drug, which led ish expat Hugh to organ fail- it,” Irish who have been given scribed widely in Spain. is pre- Billy, for ure. added Graeme. a keen Irishman Wilcox was William Continues on pre“The chief surgeon It is the ‘Billy’ sportsman, Page 8 scribed the same at the hos- drug the third victim of the Smyth was given a five-day oped sepsisdevelpital promised course of the and medication Olive Press has drug in Febru- necrotising fascifor never prescribeme he would ported on in under re- ary. mild shoulder that drug Sometimes a year. itis as a result But when and pain on the Costa known also as turned to the 66-year-old re- required ‘radical surgery’ del a different Spanish remove the He developed Sol. affected tissue to severe head an attempt to save his life. in

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Vol. 11 Issue 271

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Expats in Spain will now tered Nolotil on a short be administion only. Furthermore term prescripit can only be prescribed after a detailed analysis of CAMPAIGN: Previous SALE issue the patient’s medical his59 tory and heritage. despite various It will also have to be can cause a rapid side effects,Mosquito Screenswhich drop in white blood much more closely mon- cells, leaving patients unable to fight itored. infections. Medical It comes after an Olive Garcia del Campo, translator, Cristina Press investigation into gether hundreds who has pulled toof case studies from the mysterious deaths victims for the AEMPS’ probe, said she of expats from was ‘very happy’ the authorities the drug was have finally reacted.

See page 43 Follaunched lowing the results of her KILL THE in 2016, rigorous investigation she DRUG along with a has now demanded that 1,000-strong the drug must not be sold petition to have it reguwithout a prescription and a delated a year later. tailed patient analysis.

Nolotil, also known as “I am very happy that the problem has Metamizole, is banned in been dealt with,” she told the Olive the UK, the US and most Press. “I will be making sure that the of Europe.

AEMPS recommendations are carDespite this, the drug is ried out and if necessary make sure it’s still one of the most pop- banned completely.” ular painkillers in Spain, began investigating The Olive Press after a trio of expat families told us how their CASHBACK ON relatives had died unnecessarily in excruciating pain, after YOUR HOUSE taking the drug in Andalucia.

In April, the paper revealed the first steps towards regulation had been taken, with Marina Salud, a big health network Alicante, issuing a warning in PAYBACK WHEN stop administering the drug to to YOU SELL British, Irish and Scandinavian patients.

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Lethal painkiller BANNED for Brits after hard-fought battle

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among British expats and tourists visiting Spain.

Though usually harmless, Nolotil can affect Northern Europeans with fair complexions and is banned in the UK, Ireland, Sweden.

In October 2018, the drug was banned for sale without a prescription to British people visiting Spain following a months’ long campaign by this newspaper and tireless medical campaigner Cristina Garcia del Campo.

Recommendations were also issued advising medical staff to avoid giving the drug to patients in urgent care and to carry out follow up blood tests if the drug is given for seven days or more.

The directive note, issued by the Spanish Medicine Agency (AEMPS), recommended medical staff monitor patients given the drug to check for potentially deadly side effects like low white blood cell count and sepsis.

However Cristina, founder of the Affected by Pharmaceuticals Association, says the guidelines are ‘not strong enough’.

“It's worrying because this is something that can kill you, it has killed

A

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

Plaza San Roque Estación Jimera De Líbar, Jimera De Líbar, Andalucia, Spain

Voted

Bizarre

A LETHAL painkiller is STILL being given to Brits five years after it was banned, the Olive Press can reveal.

It comes after a reader contacted us to sound the alarm after he was given the potentially deadly drug while receiving treatment at HCB Hospital in Denia, Alicante.

Nolotil, also known as Metamizol, is the most common painkiller in Spain and is often marketed as an alternative to Ibuprofen or Paracetmol.

But the drug has been linked to several deaths and serious illnesses

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

New Andalucia Rough Guide See inside

Picture by Jon Clarke

AN evil Mexican cartel boss lived a low-key ‘no frills’ life among expats years before being arrested, it has emerged.

The paranoid chief was the suspected head of the infamous Los Zetas gang operations in Europe for seven years.

He regularly drove to Murcia, Valencia and, even Badajoz, using up to seven cars along the way to avoid detection.

Yet, incredibly, he lived an anything but luxurious life in a normal back street of Fuengirola (M alaga) police have revealed.

Having finally arrested him at another home in Madrid, it emerged he lived in leafy Calle Nuñez Balboa for some years, while renting a small chalet in Mijas, where he took many ‘girlfriends’.

The drug lord, whose name was given as Said.R, 54, was arrested following a joint operation between Spanish, Colombian and US authorities.

He was picked up in Madrid, where he was ‘feared by everyone’, according to detectives, due to his gang’s violent nature.

The Los Zetas gang is described by the US authorities as ‘the most technologically advanced, sophisticated and violent’ paramilitary-style gang in South America.

They are known for their brutal tactics in Mexico, including mass killings, beheadings, kidnappings and torture.

Said, who also had homes in Madrid, avoided capture for years by driving all over Spain for his busi-

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NEWS IN BRIEF Extra capacity DENIA council has opened new wastewater pumping stations in Les Marines and Montgo, improving the sewage capacity system and allowing more homes to be connected to the water network.

Scam and pay AN Alicante and Valencia-based blackmail gang extorted €200,000 from sex website users after threatening to tell their families about their online interests. 22 people have been arrested.

Life savers POLICE in Valencia saved a woman, 59, who had slashed her wrists, with officers barging into her home and getting her taken to hospital.

Feral drive JAVEA wants to hire a veterinary clinic to deal with the area's stray cats in a €40,000 annual contract that will see felines sterilised and microchipped.

A MAN has been arrested accused of starting several fires in the Devesa del Saler natural park.

The arsonist was branded a 'madman'

by Valencia mayor Maria Jose Catala last week and has been revealed to be a 59-year-old lawyer who lives in the area.

The Devesa del Saler has large areas of pine forests and sandy dunes, as well as

November 2nd - November 15th 2023

‘Madman’ arsonist caught l'Albufera- the largest freshwater lake in Spain.

Around 800 hectares of the forest has been incinerated over the last couple of months. Three fires were started on October 21 in the natural park, which author-

ities believe were ignited by home-made Molotov cocktails.

The Spaniard - a lawyer - was detained four days later at his home, located a few metres from where two of the most recent blazes started.

LEVI PROBE HALTED

POLICE have suspended an investigation into missing British rugby player Levi Davis.

The former X Factor: Celebrity contestant was last seen in October, last year, outside the Old Irish Pub in Barcelona.

His passport was found in the port area three weeks later, while neither his bank cards or phone have been used since he vanished.

A court has now ruled police will only continue with their

X Factor rugby star likely drowned in the port area of Barcelona

By Yzabelle Bostyn

inquiries if new information appears.

Authorities have effectively ruled out any criminality behind his disappearance after he travelled to the Catalan capital from Ibiza.

LOVE COSTS PLENTY

A GATA DE GORGOS woman was conned out of over €80,000 by online love scammers who pretended to have a romantic relationship with her.

The Guardia Civil have arrested two people in Valencia on 12 counts of fraud after netting €175,000 from unsuspecting victims.

An investigation was launched after the Alicante province woman told officers that she had made contact with a man via a prominent social media network last year.

It's believed Levi, 24, drowned near the port, where the last signal from his phone was 'pinged' by a mast in the early hours of October 30.

It came after cruise ship staff claimed to have seen a man in harbour waters shouting for help.

"Four staff confirmed seeing a man in the water… and asking for help in English, and gave the colour of his clothing,” said Levi's mother, Julie, this week.

She added a life jacket was thrown from the ship and emergency sea and air rescue services searched the area but they were unable to find him.

Police divers started combing nearby wetlands in May for his body, but were unsuccessful.

Levi Davis was a promising young rugby player for Bath,

and became the first player to come out as bisexual in 2020.

After taking part in ITV's X Factor: Celebrity, he confessed he had suffered from ‘depression, anxiety and alcoholism’ as a result.

Intriguingly, his mother revealed he had been blackmailed over compromising photos and the day before he disappeared, his Only Fans account posted a full nude photo of him.

A private detective firm later told La Vanguardia newspaper Levi ‘owed £100,000 to Somali mafia’ and he had fled Ibiza, where he was staying with a friend, to go to Barcelona ‘to flee these criminals’.

This has now been ruled out, in particular by his own mother, who said it was not being investigated.

Doesn’t carer

A BENIDORM carer has been arrested for stealing over €80,000 from a man, 90, who had to be hospitalised because the woman did not do her job properly.

Acting on a complaint from the victim’s daughter, police exposed the carer had cleared out a €50,000 bank account and taken cash and goods worth €30,000 from the man’s home.

The 52-year-old Spaniard has been charged with misappropriation, fraud and theft.

Policia Nacional managed to recover all of the stolen funds which have been returned to the victim.

From front page

Gang lord ness discussions, which were as short as 20 minutes and ‘as early as 5am’, He would mostly meet in roadside ventas and local tapas joints, one of his favourites being in Guarroman in Jaen, a three-hour drive from Fuengirola.

The majority of his phone calls were taken while moving in a car or in areas with poor signal, including next to the Fuente de Piedra Lagoon, in inland Malaga.

When he was arrested this summer, police found eight SIM cards hidden in his phone case.

NEWS

www.theolivepress.es

ROYAL ASCENT SPAIN’S future queen, Princess Leonor, celebrates her 18th birthday today (Tuesday) and her family has released a portfolio of hitherto unpublished photographs to mark the occasion.

The teenager is seen celebrating Spain’s Euros soccer victory in 2012, awaiting the birth of her sister Sofia as well as photos taken before her graduation at Atlantic College in the Vale of Glamorgan this year.

Leonor has been making solo appearances and training at the General Military Academy in Zaragoza to ensure she’s ready for the throne.

HAPPY FAMILY: Snaps from the album

Genes of completely healthy 116-year-old Spanish woman to be studied

A SPANISH aristocrat has been ordered to shorten the name of his newborn daughter after he tried to register her with a name that comprised 11 different words.

Fernando Fitz-James Stuart, the 17th Duke of Huescar and heir apparent to the dukedom of Alba, found his daughter’s name fell foul of the Civil Registry.

The 33-year-old and his wife, Sofía Palazuelo, recently christened their second child ‘Sofía Fernanda Dolores Cayetana Teresa Ángela de la Cruz Micaela del Santísimo Sacramento del Perpetuo Socorro de la Santísima Trinidad y de Todos Los Santos’.

This name needs to be shortened to either a compound name (hyphenated name) or two separate names to comply with regulations.

3

Dame good looking!

She’s also seen giving public speeches like at the recent Princess of Asturias awards, which she has addressed since She was 13-years-old.

The Royal Mint has also created a limited edition €40 coin to mark her birthday.

Old age wonder

SIR NAME-A-LOT

November 2nd - November 15th 2023

SCIENTISTS in Spain have taken samples from the oldest woman in the world in a bid to discover her secrets to a long life - and to develop cures for diseases.

Maria Branyas is an incredible 116 years old, but has no health complications other than hearing and mobility issues.

The ‘Super Grandmother’, who regularly updates her followers on X (Twitter), beat Covid in 2020 and has survived the Spanish Civil War, a deadly earthquake in the US and a major fire.

She previously advised anyone hoping to live a long life to cut out ‘toxic people’ and avoid ‘excess’.

Unlike most people her age, she has zero cardiovascular problems nor memory issues, and can recount stories from the age of four as if they happened yesterday.

‘She’s incredible,’ said Manel Esteller, director of the Josep Carreras leukaemia research institute and a professor of genetics at the University of Barcelona.

Manel has taken DNA samples (saliva, urine and blood) from Maria, whom he visited at her care home in Olot, Gerona, in northern Spain.

Manel, a world leader in genet-

By Laurence Dollimore

ics, wants to discover how far Maria’s genes go in explaining her longevity, and how much is to do with her lifestyle.

Maria, the daughter of a journalist from Pamplona, was born in San Francisco (United States) on March 4, 1907, but returned to Spain as a child.

DAME Maggie Smith has sprinkled a little magic on Spanish design house Loewe.

The 88-year-old British actress - who famously played Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter franchise - is starring in the luxury brand’s latest advertising campaign.

She looks spellbinding in the photos taken by celebrity German fashion photographer Juerguen Teller, and many of her fans are enchanted by the result.

There has been a tremendous response on social media, with fellow Downton Abbey star Lily James saying ‘wow wow wow wow’, and Outlander actress Catriona Balfe sharing three love hearts.

It might have taken 70 years, but being the face of Loewe’s Spring-Summer collection is the perfect riposte to her mother, who once famously told her ‘you will never be an actress with a face like that’ when Maggie was still a teenager.

In her long career Dame Maggie has won two Oscars - as Best Actress in The Prime of Miss Brodie and as Best Supporting Actress in California Suite.

She also has a Tony, five Baftas, three Golden Globes, and four Emmys.

MARIA’S TIPS

MARIA has previously credited eating natural yoghurt each day for her longevity, and avoiding ‘excesses’, adding: “I have always eaten little, but everything, and I have never followed any regime. I have not suffered from any illness or been through an operating room.”

Asked about her secret to a long life, she tweeted: “Order, tranquility, good connection with family and friends, contact with nature, emotional stability, lots of positivity and keeping away from toxic people.”

However she admitted that she also believes it is down to genes and ‘luck’.

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AN ALARMING 1.13% of Spain’s adult population has been abused in connection to the Catholic church.

According to the country’s ombudsman, some 440,000 living people are believed to have been victims of child sexual abuse at the hands of the clergy.

Following testimonies from 8,000 people, Angel Gabilondo insisted forcefully: ‘Victims deserve to be listened to’.

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tating impact of abuse on real people,” he said.

“There are people who have committed suicide because of it, people who can never rebuild their lives.”

The shocking findings, which included 487 case studies, presented to parliament on Friday recommended financial compensation for the victims.

The 18-month report insisted

this should come from both the state and church, citing ‘the silence of those who could have spoken up’.

Based on 779-pages of testimony, the numbers far exceed the 330,000 victims in France and puts Spain at the top of the list for existing victims.

The figures don’t even include anyone currently under the age of 18, which will mean far more people abused.

The poll discovered 1.13% of adults questioned said they

Taxing times

Lest we forget

HOMEOWNERS in Benidorm will have to pay over 72% more for refuse collection services next year.

They will also have to endure a 23% hike in the IBI property tax.

The garbage tax is rising from €112.74 to €193.72 and there will be steeper rises for hotels, tourist apartments, as well as commercial, industrial, and hospitality premises.

The IBI rise means a home-owner that paid €400 this year will have to find an extra €92 in 2024 on top of the refuse tax increase for a combined €172 extra.

Properties with a cadastral value of €667 will have to cough up an extra €152 in IBI.

THE Javea Branch of The Royal British Legion is holding two Acts of Remembrance this month which pay tribute to ‘The Fallen’ in conflicts for over the past 100 years.

They emphasise that you don’t have to be an RBL member or have been in the armed services to attend.

The first commemoration will be in Moraira on November 10 at the Santa Maria dels Desemparats church on Calle de la Iglesia.

It starts at 6.30pm and will feature the Costa Blanca Male Voice Choir. On Remembrance Day itself (November 12), Javea’s Fisherman’s Church on Calle Pio X will hold a service at 3.00 pm with the Lady Elizabeth Senior School choir from Benitachell.

were abused as children by either priests or lay members, including teachers at religious schools. Some 0.6% identified their abusers as members of the clergy.

The Spanish Epispocal Assembly will now meet on October 30 to discuss the report.

Investigations into paedophilia within the church have been underway since 2018, wait any longer. Some have had to make multiple reports, which re-victimises them every time.

“They say ‘please, we want change and reparation’.”

While he did not rule out the need for legal reforms, he insisted the main purpose of his body’s 18-month investigation was to help the existing victims get answers and, above all, ‘reparations’.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez later ruled that publishing the ‘milestone’ report ‘already’ made the country a ‘little better’.

“This was the truth that everyone knew for years, but no-one wanted to discuss,” he said from Brussels.

His party’s spokesman Patxi Lopez later accused the church of continually trying to cover up the extent of the abuse and ‘blame’ the victims.

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www.theolivepress.es A BRITISH expat has revealed her shock after being hammered with €74,000 of water bills.

Gillian Hodge told the Olive Press she completely ‘panicked’ and is now suffering from extreme stress.

The retired pharmacist, who lives between Spain and Scoland with husband Tom, received two eye-watering bills from La Viñuela (Malaga) town hall.

“I couldn’t believe it at first when I saw I owed €73,640,” Gillian, 66, told the Olive Press.

“I just felt raw panic. I’ve been overwhelmed with stress since I saw the bill last month.”

The total comprises two big demands, one for the third quarter of 2022 for €28,420 and the other for the second quarter of 2023 coming to a whopping €45,220.

The town hall, which administers the water, claims her three-bedroom property has used 2.6 million cubic litres over the combined 180-day period - enough to fill an Olympic-size swimming pool.

“They told my property manager we had a leak in July, but it was fixed immediately. This leak would have had to be massive and we were not even using the home at the time.”

Gillian added: “I’m not refusing to pay for the water.

We’re just refusing to pay €70,000. We don’t have the money and even if we did, it’s still entirely wrong.”

Meanwhile her British neighbour, Lee Talbot, 60, has been forced to call in lawyers after being sent a bill for €43,000.

The property developer from Kent has appealed the ‘crazy’ bill levied on his six-bedSTUMP UP: Lee Talbot room home, (Top) and Gillian and overlooking John Hodge owe Viñuela reser€117,000 combined voir.

NEWS

Drop it!

November 2nd - November 15th 2023

Plea to town hall as expats left ‘panicking’ after being hit with giant water bills totalling hundreds of thousands

By Walter Finch

He told the Olive Press that the town hall lawyer suggested someone had been stealing his water.

“I laughed and said, ‘really? Is this a joke?’ But he confirmed that I had

apparently used more water than the entire village combined.”

Talbot, who owns Marbella’s LT Construction, which employs 30 people, hired a technical expert to inspect his property.

He came back and told him definitely there was ‘no leak’ nor any

water theft.

The Olive Press understands there are at least three more people with life-changing, five-figure bills.

A further 20 people - the majority British expats - have been landed

5

with bills in the thousands.

A trio of Spanish residents are also caught up in the fiasco.

Local councillor Amber Crookshank told the Olive Press an investigation has been launched and the meters have now been sent for testing to make sure they are calibrated properly.

And the British expat admitted the town hall didn’t ‘understand the problem.’

“I’m frustrated because something needs to be done to figure out what’s going on and why people are getting these impossible bills.”

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Miraculous escape A BUILDER renovating an Ontinyent property had the escape of his life when the house collapsed on top of him.

Emergency services got a call saying that a 57-year-old man was trapped under the rubble on Avenida de Sant Francesc.

His colleagues tried to help him but despite being covered in dust and debris, he was conscious.

Firefighters rescued the victim and he was taken to the Lluis Alcanyis Hospital in Xativa.

The extent of his injuries has not been revealed but he was immobilised from the waist down.

First indications suggested that the first floor gave way due to the amount of pallets containing heavy construction material that had been placed there.

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THE OLIVE PRESS (all editions) - PROMO 2 - JP 250 X 200 - November 1, 2 & 3, 2023

6

NEWS FEATURE

www.theolivepress.es Voted top expat paper in Spain

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.

OPINION Will sanity prevail?

The insane water bills at La Viñuela seems like another fiasco that could have easily been avoided.

New water rates designed to punish irresponsible users cannot be considered acceptable if they produce unpayable and, potentially, life-destroying bills.

Furthermore, telling residents they have used ‘millions’ of litres of water is an extraordinary claim that requires extraordinary proof.

Simply delivering unfathomable bills and telling residents to pay up regardless is not a workable solution.

If the water escaped in a leak, or it was stolen by mango or avocado farmers, it needs to be proven.

Staff at the town hall must work with the residents who are their neighbours, let’s not forget - to get to the bottom of the problem.

A prickly, uncommunicative demeanour coupled with an appetite for punishment will only tear the community apart.

The town hall should have engaged with its residents from the start and offered reassurances that the situation would be investigated thoroughly and fairly.

It is, after all, obvious that the expat victims on our front page were not filling Olympic-size swimming pools or raising cash crops.

Let’s hope sanity can still prevail.

Nolotil shame IT’S disheartening to hear that the dangerous drug Nolotil is still being administered to northern European patients, despite it being banned five years ago (Nolotil warning, page 8).

The campaign to bring in regulations against the drug was one of the biggest successes achieved by the Olive Press.

With the help of tireless campaigner Cristina Garcia del Campo, we persuaded the national government to stop the drug being given to light skinned foreigners without a prescription.

There are now another string of rules attached to the medication, which has been known to cause serious illness and even death in people of northern European descent.

We implore any Brit receiving care in Spain to avoid taking Nolotil wherever possible, and can only hope that the case of the British expat being given the drug at a hospital in Alicante was an isolated incident.

If you have been given Nolotil with no warning, medical advice or prescription, please contact us at newsdesk@ theolivepress.es.

PUBLISHER / EDITOR

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

Simon Hunter simon@theolivepress.es

Walter Finch walter@theolivepress.es

Alex Trelinski alex@theolivepress.es

Yzabelle Bostyn yzabelle@theolivepress.es

Cristina Hodgson cristina@theolivepress.es

John Culatto

ADMIN Victoria Humenyuk Makarova (+34) 951 154 841 admin@theolivepress.es

OFFICE MANAGER Héctor Santaella (+34) 658 750 424 accounts@ theolivepress.es

DISTRIBUTION ENQUIRIES (+34) 951 154 841 distribution@ theolivepress.es

NEWSDESK: 0034 951 154 841 For all sales and advertising enquiries please contact 951 15 48 41 Deposito Legal MA: 498-2019

AWARDS

2016 - 2020 Best expat paper in Spain

2020 Google News Initiative gives the Olive Press a substantial grant.

2012 - 2023 Best English language publication in Andalucia

Fighting for the young In the past eight years, Spain has seen a 25% rise in breast cancer with one in 10 cases among the under 40s.

YZABELLE BOSTYN asks why and what is being done

L

AST year, an estimated 35,750 women were diagnosed with breast cancer in Spain, a shocking 7,000 more than in 2015.

This rise is partly due to the growing numbers of younger women diagnosed with the disease.

This year, an estimated 4,132 people under 44 are expected to have been diagnosed with breast cancer here, a 9% increase compared to 2021.

It’s an alarming rise, but what is being done about it?

“It’s a fact that breast cancer is increasing in younger women,” oncologist Dr Javier Salvador at Sevilla’s Hospital Virgen del Rocio told the Olive Press.

“The general occurrence of cancer is rising and it is fundamentally associated with unhealthy habits. Breast cancer is no exception”.

In the past 30 years, cancer incidence in the under 50s has risen by an incredible 79% according to a Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study, and it's no coincidence that during this time our lifestyles have changed dramatically.

Alcohol is believed to have been a major factor in 18% (2,100) of Spain’s breast cancer cases in 2020. And on a European level, 4,600 breast cancer diagnoses were linked to drinking just one glass of wine a day, according to the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM).

“Cancer is fundamentally caused by changes in lifestyle choices,” explained Dr Ana Casa, founder of charity Actitud Frente al Cancer,

FRONTLINE: Dr Javier Salvador is at the forefront of cancer research in Spain who herself has had breast cancer.

“Changes to diet, obesity, how we raise children, how much alcohol and tobacco we consume all make a difference,” she added.

Leading a healthy lifestyle including a balanced diet, exercise and limited tobacco and alcohol intake, is therefore key to reducing the risk.

Dr Casas also highlights that while unhealthy habits are influencing the disease, rates are also rising due to better detection via increased screening campaigns and improved awareness.

In Andalucia, for example, the Junta has widened its ‘Early Detection Screening Programme’, from 50 to 69-years-old to 47 to 71-years-old. The new measures give access to screenings every two years and have already had a significant impact in the region.

In just the nine months up to October this year, 387,906 women have been checked, which is a third more (34%) than in the whole of 2018,

when 289,552 people were screened.

As a result, 881 women have been diagnosed.

In Valencia, the Breast Cancer Prevention Programme screens 800,000 women aged between 45 and 69 every two years.

The programme has been judged a success by the health authority - and since the programme started in 1992, almost five million mammograms have been undertaken.

Last year, a total of 329,367 women were screened in the region and 1,420 cases of breast cancer were detected, the vast majority in an early stage.

This early detection is vital, according to Dr Casas: “If we detect the cancer earlier, there is a much higher chance of survival,” she explained to the Olive Press.

But for women who have experienced the aggressive disease first hand, 47 is simply not young enough to start screening.

Expat Lisa Burgess was just 55 when doctors discovered she had 15 tumours in her

MAFIA EXPOSED After the Olive Press exposed how a key Russian Oligarch still owns a luxury villa in Marbella, Alex Trelinski and Laurence Dollimore explain how illegal Russian cash was laundered into shady property deals and used to buy influence on the Costa Blanca

I

T’S long been rumoured the Russian mafia has been wielding its influence along most of the Spanish costas.

Now, a long-awaited trial is set to lift the lid on just a few of its alleged clandestine operations.

Some three years after they were arrested, a judge in Benidorm has set a trial date for five members of a suspected Russian money laundering gang - including a well-connected lawyer.

They are accused of using dirty Russian cash to buy millions of euros worth of property while pressuring politicians to act on their behalf even including apparently trivial matters such as introducing speed bumps around luxury urbanisations.

It comes after 40 people were investigated by the Policia Nacional in December 2020 in what the force branded the ‘biggest operation against eastern European mafia’ for a decade.

As the Olive Press reported at the time, Operation Testudo focused on the Marina Baixa area of Alicante province with arrests in the exclusive upmarket areas of Altea and Finestrat, as well as in Alicante City.

In a Spanish-wide dragnet, gang members were also detained in Ibiza, Madrid, Andalucia and Valencia in a joint operation with Europol.

The investigation started in 2013 and culminated in 18 raids on December 14, 2020.

Russian businessmen were among those arrested and included a solicitor - Alexey Shorikov (left) - who runs an Altea estate agency and was de-

scribed by the judge as a ‘lobbyist’ for the conservative Partido Popular. In alarming claims, the judge accused him of creating a network of contacts with councillors and public officials as well as the police.

On one occasion, a Policia Nacional inspector was handed an envelope stuffed with cash to speed-along immigration proceedings, while it is alleged the chief of Altea’s Policia Local was ‘persuaded’ to install speed bumps on an urbanisation where one of Shorikov’s clients lived. “The influence of Alexey on Altea town hall was noteworthy,” the judge said.

“Intercepted telephone conversations revealed that Alexey, in appreciation for favours done for him, gave gifts and rewards via his businesses and clients.”

The well-connected legal eagle is also accused of laundering his own money and that of clients by making bank transfers that were difficult for authorities to trace.

According to court documents, Shorikov is also alleged to have funnelled laundered cash into an Ibiza warehouse and restaurant owned

by Russian businessmen linked to organised crime.

They are known only as Maxim K and Nikolay M, and they have also been charged.

But conveniently, most of the suspects, including several politicians, were let off the hook following a series of shocking judicial errors.

Charges were dismissed against 18 people after the authorities forgot to ask the courts for a time extension for their trial dates.

And after the initial arrests and investigations in December 2020, PP councillors in Altea and Benidorm had charges against them suddenly dropped due to a lack of evidence.

November 2nd - November 15th 2023

7

WORTH PAYING FOR

W

E at the Olive Press are always keen to talk to our readers to get constructive comments and feedback.

After all, without readers – whether for our printed papers or our website and online platforms – there is little point to our job.

But one question we continually get online when faced with our paywall introduced in 2020 is ‘What do I get for my money?’ ‘Why should I pay? And ‘What am I paying for?’

Group Coordinator of the Andalucia Society of Medical Oncology, says there is no need to further drop it.

He told the Olive Press: “There isn’t any solid data saying that it would be beneficial to do screening on women under 40.

“Of course in some circumstances it would be sensible, if say, there is cancer in the family or if the woman has some sort of predetermined factors. But in general, I don’t think it's necessary to start earlier than 47.”

In time, research will make this decision with hundreds of studies being carried out around Spain at present.

The research gives patients more chances ‘to be attended to by oncology services’, ultimately giving them more opportunities for treatment and a better chance of survival.

At Hospital Virgen del Rocio, in Sevilla, current research is focussing on identifying cancer biomarkers for more effective treatment.

Biomarkers are genes, proteins or other substances which can provide information about the type of cancer a patient has.

MAFIA HIDEOUT: Altea in Alicante Each persons’ biomarkers are unique and allow doctors to identify how effective treatments will be for the patient.

The process means that patients can avoid unnecessary toxic, invasive and painful treatments.

Alongside cancer screenings, the treatment will make treatment shorter, less traumatic and ultimately more successful for patients.

Identifying the most appropriate treatments is also key to preventing the recurrence of the disease.

But five are still facing charges, with the court claiming the Money Both Andalucia and Laundering Division of the Policia Nacional detected suspicious monValencia are heavily ey transfers between Russia and Spain via ‘shell’ companies. involved in Natalee, The funds were transferred to real estate and leisure businesses on an international study the Costa Blanca and the Balearic Islands, which the judge said came focussing on combinfrom ‘Russian businessmen linked to ex-Soviet organised crime’. ing treatments to preSuspicious purchases include a €600,000 home in Altea Hills, where vent breast cancer Shorikov acted as an ‘interpreter’ and a €484,000 La Nucia property. recurrence.

A lump sum of €440,000 was also transferred from Russia and SwitThe treatment comzerland to buy land in Altea so that it could be turned into a campsite. bines the drug riboA Ukrainian hacker in Alicante’s San Juan beach area known only as ciclib with endocrine Denis K was also arrested in 2018 for being the alleged mastermind therapy to stop the of a gang of cyber thieves that stole over a billion US dollars from cell cycle, preventing banks around the world. cancer growth.

Denis K is said to have worked for the two alleged Russian gang Some 190 Andalumembers, Maxim K and Nikolay M, who gained access to a bitcoin cian and 88 Valenwallet worth €55 million which was allegedly laundered by Shorikov cian patients are for their Ibiza purchases. involved in the interBut whle the net is drawing close around mafia activities, the Russian national study, which oligarchs seem to be getting away with massive money laundering in has already reduced Spain. Last edition the Olive Press revealed that Alexey Chepa, an MP the risk of breast in Moscow’s State Duma, is still in possession of a huge €15m estate cancer recurrence by in Marbella through a shell company owned by his son, despite sanc25%. tions. There is still a huge amount of work to be done by the police.

Thanks to ongoing research projects like

The answer is simple: What you get is journalism… paying for people who excel at storytelling and uncovering information.

Paying for journalists to do the work they love and the job they were trained to do.

breasts.

The British-Irish journalist, based in Mijas, underwent four gruelling operations and has since become a pillar of support for other expats suffering from the disease.

“I know from experience of the healthcare system that a lot of women are contracting cancer in their 30s,” she explained. “It’s getting really serious and the authorities need to start focusing on prevention, on detecting it earlier and at a younger age.

“If it had been detected even in my 30s, it would have been much easier, possibly just radiotherapy. Not a mastectomy.”

Research shows that young women diagnosed with breast cancer often have more advanced and aggressive forms of the disease, as a lack of screening allows the tumour to grow undetected.

However, not everyone agrees on lowering the screening age.

Fernando Henao, Breast Cancer Working

Being behind a paywall frees us from the tyranny of hated ‘clickbait journalism’.

With the knowledge that money is coming in, we do not have to chain our reporters to their desks to continually chase page views.

Thanks to those people who have signed up for just €1.50 per week (often less), we can afford to free our journalists to do what they do best – get out and about, meet people and report back to you, our readers.

It is how we spent a few days in Ibiza tracking down the dodgy fashion boss accused of molesting young models and how we spent months probing the movements of dangerous sex offender Christian Brueckner around Spain and Portugal.

Killing Eve

ON THE MEND: Lisa Burgess was 55 when she discovered she had 15 tumours Natalee, survival rates globally have gone from 70% to 90% in the past 50 years.

Just last year, a Mallorcan study succeeded in curing tumours initially resistant to treatment in the most aggressive form of breast cancer.

Triple negative breast cancer usually affects younger women and is the fastest developing form of the disease.

Studies like this help to give women the hope Dr Casas advises for those newly diagnosed.

Reflecting on her own experience battling breast cancer, she said: “Firstly, learn as much as you can about the tumour and make informed decisions.

“It’s important to have an active attitude. Secondly, be hopeful because treatments are greatly improving. Have hope and trust in the research.”

For people suffering with cancer, much of this hope is found in the support of their community. For Lisa Burgess - who wrote a regular Olive Press column on her year of treatment - there was no better support than her fellow expats.

“I received a lot of support from the expat community. They were completely wonderful.

“Now, I speak to women everyday who have been diagnosed. It’s my small way of giving back. I support them as much as I can.”

A strong sense of community, innovative research and forward thinking screening programmes clearly make the fight against breast cancer a more positive one.

If you have not received a letter about booking a screening, contact your Primary Care District (Distrito de Atención Primaria), Health Management Area (Área de Gestión Sanitaria) or family doctor, who will give you an appointment.

Then there was the week spent tracking down the former ETA terrorist who had inspired hit BBC drama Killing Eve (above) in Extremadura.

And more recently to Granada, to bring unrivalled coverage of the dramatic threeday hunger strike launched by the mother of ousted football boss Luis Rubiales (left).

A testament to the quality of our reporting, it was picked up by The Telegraph, the Sun and even a string of Spanish national newspapers.

Closer to home, we always strive to be first on the scene to bring you the latest updates.

Hence this Saturday two journalists rushed to Marbella after three hitmen opened fire in front of Brits and locals just as they were sitting down for lunch.

Once again, our exclusive reporting was used by the UK nationals, this time the Daily Mail and Sun. Couple this with all our exclusive restaurant reviews, travel articles and cultural features and, all in all, it explains why we have had thousands of new registered users and subscribers over the last two months.

So thank you to everyone who has recognised that quality journalism is worth paying for!

Get in touch today at sales@theolivepress.es or call us at 00 34 951273575 for more info

8

GREEN

www.theolivepress.es

Tap water alert Toxic amounts of nitrates found in drinking supplies EXPERTS are sounding the alarm over Spain’s tap water after studies showed toxic levels of nitrates in towns across the country.

According to the National Consumer Water Information System (SINAC), up to 411 municipalities have introduced bans on tap water due to nitrate contamination between 2016 and 2021.

This forced them to look for alternative supplies, including water delivery by tanker trucks, bottled water or ‘denitrifying devices’.

According to the latest data available, from 2021, the region where there have been the most measurements equal to or greater than 50 mg/l limit has been the Valencia, with 180 such readings, followed by the Balearic Islands (174), Castilla La-Mancha (140) and Castilla y León (139).

Aragon had 55 such readings, followed by Catalunya on 36, while Andalucia had among the lowest with 35 - despite being the most populous region in the country.

Greenpeace has blamed the rise

By Laurence Dollimore

in nitrates on the expansion of pig and other farms.

Earlier this year, Torrejoncillo del Rey, a small town in Cuenca, was among the latest to ban tap water, telling residents it was ‘not suitable for human consumption.’

Under Spanish law, tap water must not exceed a nitrate level of 50mg per litre - in Torrejoncillo it was at 80.

Socialist mayor Piedad Balsalobre said: “It’s a serious problem.”

The tiny town was forced to rely on bottled water, causing a surge in plastic waste that almost overwhelmed its waste collection services.

Prime expansion AMAZON has announced 24 new renewable energy projects in Spain with a combined capacity of 794 MW, including 19 off-site installations and five rooftop solar arrays on its buildings.

The new installations will raise Amazon’s renewables capacity in Spain to more than 2.3 GW, with a total of 67 wind and solar projects in the country, including 37 large-scale installations and 30 rooftop projects.

Amazon’s several new off-site projects in Spain will include two wind farms in Castilla y Leon and 17 solar plants.

The solar plants will be spread across various regions, with six in Castilla–La Mancha, four in Castilla y Leon, four in Valencia, and three in Andalucia, Aragon, and Extremadura.

TOXIC: Nitrates in the tap water According to the latest data (174), Castilla La-Mancha (140) available the region where there and Castilla y León (139). have been the most measure- Aragon had 55 such readings, folments equal to or greater than lowed by Catalunya on 36, while 50 mg/l limit has been the Va- Andalucia had among the lowest lencia, with 180 such readings, with 35 - despite being the most followed by the Balearic Islands populous region in the country.

We need to move to renewable energy now

ECONOMIC REALITY

T Beetle alert DROUGHT conditions have fuelled concerns over the unwanted return of a beetle that can destroy masses of trees in the green spaces of the Vega Baja.

The Tomicus Piniperda beetle can wreak havoc on diseased or very dry pine trees in hilly areas, which was the case back in 2014.

In the Sierra de Orihuela alone, at least 2,000 trees fell victim to it, as the beetle spread to adjoining municipalities like Benejuzar, Callosa de Segura, and Pilar de la Horadada, with councils having to enact emergency plans.

Benejuzar council - helped by environmental groups - has set up 10 beetle traps in trees to monitor the pest across 247 hectares of the local mountain range.

November 2nd - November 15th 2023

HE damage and destruction caused by climate change is well documented: hotter, longer heatwaves; longer droughts; extreme rain; flooding; wild-

fires.

One of the main causes is our constant consumption of fossil fuels.

A report out last month from the International Energy Agency stated that investment in fossil fuels needs to be cut in half.

“Governments, companies and investors need to get behind clean energy transitions rather than hindering them,” said Fatih Birol, the Executive Director.

Current events in the Middle East only reinforce this message.

The Israel/Palestine war is not a localised conflict. This will roll out onto the worldwide stage and impact us all. Brace yourself for the impact of what will come as Israel, America and the West square up to the Arab world.

In 1973 there was an oil crisis when Arab oil producers imposed an embargo in response to Western support for Israel in the Yom Kip-

pur war against Arab states led by Syria and Libya.

As a result fuel prices rocketed leading to high inflation and an increase in unemployment.

Throw in the actions of the unpredictable Putin regime and highly volatile gas prices, and the race to employ renewable energy solutions really is a no brainer.

Green

Matters

By Martin Tye

FOSSILFLATION Fossilflation is the name that has been given to problems caused through the continued use of fossil fuels.

As the prices rise, economies are crippled.

Families are left grappling with the burden of increased living costs.

All this is going on while the European Central Bank keeps supporting big polluters who continue to rake in enormous and obscene profits.

There are cleaner and affordable solutions available to remove our reliance on fossil fuels.

Governments need to rapidly escalate plans to install solar energy and wind turbine pro-

GREEN ENERGY: A good investment

duction facilities.

Householders need to (if they have a roof) install solar panels.

Return on investment is quick.

Immediate benefits include lower living expenses, cleaner air, a healthier climate, preserved biodiversity and a brighter future for the community you live in.

The real crime is if you do nothing.

Martin Tye is the owner of Mariposa Energía, a green energy company specialising in solar panel installations.

Email him at martin@mariposaenergia.es or call +34 638 145 664

SOLAR PANELS GENERATE YOUR OWN ELECTRICITY Save Money • Save The Planet • Add Value To Your Home

+34 951 120 830 | gogreen@mariposaenergia.es | www.mariposaenergia.es

FOOD, DRINK & TRAVEL

November 2nd November 15th 2023

9

Simply the best Why Spain has been branded among the top holiday destinations for 2024

EVERY MONDAY, FROM 13 TO 00HS.

WITH OF FRIE 13 KINDS S TO CH OOSE!

Lonely Planet cited the Jardin del Turia in Valencia as a prime example of Spain’s strides towards a sustainable

TAPAS TIME

cally and culturally.

54 fifth and sixth grade students will make and distribute their own tapas at the junction of Paseo Marina Española and Avenida Jaime I. Prices are unchanged from last year - meaning that tapas will cost €2.80 and a drink comes in at €1.80.

THE SCHEDULE IS:

FRIDAY (November 3) - 19.30 to 23.00 SATURDAY (November 4) - 12.30 to 15.00 and 19.30 to 23.00 SUNDAY (November 5) - 12.30 to 15.00

tourism model.

The urban park, one of the largest in Spain, is spread over nine kilometres and features picturesque paths lined with orange and palm trees, becoming a tourist attraction in its own right.

And in a bid to reduce pressure in tourism meccas like Barcelona and the Costa del Sol, Spain is encouraging holiday makers to visit lesser-known villages and towns.

It comes after a wave of anti-tourism campaigns cropped up across the country this year, including in Marbella, Sevilla and the Balearics.

Vigo, in Galicia, for example, was recently voted as one of the best locations to explore, according to flight comparison app Skyscanner.

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JAVEA welcomes the first weekend of November with the 10th staging of the Mar de Tapas organised by the Association of Merchants and Entrepreneurs of Duanes de la Mar- Xabia Port.

The event normally takes place in October but has been moved back to give businesses an extra boost after the end of the main tourist season.

Some 13 restaurants will be involved, located between the Paseo Marina Española, the Plaza Adolfo Suarez and Calles Andres Lambert and Cristo del Mar. Also joining in for the first time is the Port de Xabia school to reflect their educational project CuinnovArt, which states that gastronomy is a backbone of society that seasons, histori-

SUSTAINABLE: The Jardin del Turia in Valencia

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IN

By Laurence Dollimore

is making enormous strides in boosting off-season travel to spread visitors across the year and to encourage travel to overlooked destinations.

“New cycle paths, electric buses and train routes offer flightfree ways to see the country.

“Creative small-scale hotels and other initiatives are revitalising the country’s rural areas and new train routes are making flight-free travel a breeze.”

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SPAIN is the most sustainable holiday destination in the world and should be top of your list to visit in 2024.

That’s according to the latest rankings by the highly-respected Lonely Planet.

The country was named as the most sustainable in the publication’s Best In Travel awards, which were released to celebrate 50 years of the travel guide.

A spokesperson said: “One of the globe’s most popular destinations, sun-washed Spain

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BUSINESS

Tramendous interest EIGHT companies have bid for a €48.5 million contract to modernise the Tram d'Alacant service in the Benidorm area.

The work includes doubling and electrifying the Line 1 track between the Benidorm Intermodal Stop and Villajoyosa's Marina Baixa hospital.

Over 20,000 m2 of land- most of which is uncultivated - will need to be expropriated by the Valencian government in the Benidorm, Finestrat, and Villajoyosa areas.

New ditches, repairing damaged embankments, and better safety will come as part of the package.

Stops at Cala Finestrat and Terra Mitica will be improved and the Moralet path will be extended from the existing car park north of Benidorm station for the benefit of hikers.

Once the project is completed over a 30 month period - tram services in the Benidorm area will boast greater capacity, regularity, and more services.

November 2nd - November 15th 2023

Getting on track

Poverty concern

Routes for high speed rail tunnel from Spain to Morocco proposed THE long-anticipated dream of an underwater train connecting Spain with Morocco could be that much closer.

New research funded by Spain and Morocco has identified several proposed routes for the project, including Madrid to Casablanca in just five-anda-half hours.

By Laurence Dollimore

It comes after both countries relaunched the Gibraltar Strait Tunnel Project in April this year, agreeing to ramp up studies into the technology required for such a feat.

According to Moroccan state

BUDGET hotel chain Travelodge which operates nearly 600 outlets in the UK, Ireland, and Spain has opened its sixth Spanish hotel - The Travelodge Madrid Coslada Aeropuerto.

Travelodge has two hotels in Barcelona and one in Valencia, in addition to its now three Madrid operations.

Some €1 million has been spent on converting the 78-bedroom NH Villa de Coslada hotel to the Travelodge brand.

The operator has also worked with consultancy firm Christie & Co on exploring further opportunities in the Spanish market.

A top 20 list has been identified for expansion including Alicante, Barcelona,

media outlet SNRTNews, experts are looking at several routes that would pass through Sevilla and the coastal cities of Algeciras and Tarifa.

“The high-speed rail line existing in both Morocco and Spain is expected to significantly reduce travel time compared to regular trains,” the news out-

Hotel expansion Bilbao, Cadiz, Granada, Malaga, Madrid, Palma, Sevilla, and Valencia.

Travelodge's general director in Spain, Angelo Beleno, said: “Spain is the fourth most visited country in the world and its tourism industry is an important engine of the Spanish economy.”

“New opportunities are being created in the Spanish hotel market especially in the budget and mid-scale range which allows Travelodge to bring its brand to new business and leisure locations across Spain,” he added.

let said.

Morocco opened its first high-speed rail line in 2018, connecting its northern hub Tangier with its capital Rabat and tourism Mecca Casablanca.

The most likely connection would be between Morocco’s Tangier and Tarifa or Algeciras, just a few kilometres from Gibraltar.

Earlier this year, Spain’s transport minister Raquel Sanchez vowed the two countries would give much more support to the project, which has been promised on-and-off since 1979.

Sanchez described it as ‘strategic’ not only for Spain and Morocco but also wider Europe and Africa.

In a meeting with Moroccan minister Nizar Baraka, she added: “We are beginning a new stage in the revival of the fixed link project across the Strait of Gibraltar, which we launched in 1981, hand in hand.”

THE Marina Alta has the highest number of people at risk of dropping into poverty in the Valencian Community.

The region’s high profile tourism sector brings lower wages and unstable employment compared to other jobs - especially during the winter months.

Figures have been compiled by the Institut Valencia d'Estadística (IVE) which analysed last year's average family income across all of the areas of the Valencian region.

The study reveals that 31.1% of the Marina Alta population is in poverty or 'at risk' of poverty- compared to 32% in 2020 during the first year of the Covid pandemic.

The 2022 average income was €13,796 compared to nearly €19,000 in other parts of the Valencian Community.

Dia boost

SPANISH retailer Dia has reported a 4.5% increase in sales on a like-for-like basis in the first nine months of the year, to €4.64 billion.

The turnover achieved excludes the sales registered in the stores transferred to Alcampo.

The group said that its performance underlines the 'strength of Dia's strategy in a complex environment'.

In the third quarter, gross sales in Spain reached €1.28 billion.

OP QUICK CROSSWORD Across 7 Indian class (5) 9 Simian (3-4) 10 At the apex (7) 11 Affliction is cruel cut (5) 12 Russian sleigh (6) 14 Energetic (5) 17 Tolerate (5) 19 Rarely encountered (6) 22 Get new guns (5) 24 Lunges (7) 25 No good (7) 26 Simultaneous firing of artillery (5) Down 1 Transparent overlay (7) 2 Do over (6) 3 Engrossed (4) 4 Tie up rescue craft (6) 5 Spine separator (4) 6 Earth (5) 8 Champion (7) 13 Facilitate (3) 14 Ballet step (3) 15 Sun protector (7) 16 Income earned in the past (7) 18 Show song (6) 20 Pre-revival zombie (6) 21 Arrogant (5) 23 Blows away (4) 24 Cooking measure (4)

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LA CULTURA Puppet

November 2nd - November 15th 2023

REAL ART BUFFS

11

donation Museum throws open its A TEAM led by Taiwanese opera director Tseng Tao-hsiung will perform Spanish composer Manuel de Falla's puppet-opera 'Master Peter's Puppet Show' this month.

The puppets will then be donated to The Museum of Manuel de Falla in Granada.

They were first made for the opera's premiere in Taiwan in 1995.

The performances will be at the Enrique de la Cuadra Municipal Theatre in Sevilla on November 4 and the Madrid Higher School of Singing on November 6.

doors to nudist club THE exhibits in Barcelona’s Museum of Archaeology of Cataloni a were treated to quite the sight when it played host to a 90 minute nudist tour.

Members of the tour strolled through the museum’s halls completely in the buff, offering a more

The King and Meryl

By Walter Finch

‘natural’ perspective on various works of art.

Edgar Maestre, the guide for this event, explained: “We wanted people who came to see it to feel exactly the same as the work they were looking at.”

In this case they had the opportunity to admire the ‘Bronzes of Riace’ exhibition, featuring Luigi Spina’s photographs of two Greek bronze statues of naked warriors dating back to the 5th century BCE.

STANDING TO ATTENTION: Naked tourists take in the exhibition

The objective was to convey the emotions and sensations that these artworks

DRINK TO THAT: Swimming dinos found in Rioja

FOOTPRINTS: found in cave

A TEAM of researchers have found a site of swimming dinosaur prints, of which there is very little evidence in the world.

Palaeontologist Pablo Navarro discovered the prints in Laguna de Cameros, Rioja, with help from the municipality’s residents in 2020.

The Rioja University researcher found the ichnites - fossilised footprints - on one of the escarpments of the Leza River.

There are only a few other ichnites of swimming dinosaurs from the Lower Cretaceous period, dated between 145 and 100 million years ago.

2023/2024

THINK

evoke by allowing visitors to share a similar state of undress.

The museum’s website even promised attendees the chance to ‘admire the works by posing in the same situation as they are, completely naked and surrounded by other bodies.’

This kind of event is relatively rare in Spain but has been previously held in other parts of the world, such as Paris.

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MERYL Streep wowed the Spanish Royal Family with an emotional speech which paid tribute to the country’s rich cultural past.

The Hollywood actress, 74, waxed lyrical about Granada poet Federico Garcia Lorca and Malaga painter Pablo Picasso as she accepted the prestigious Princess of Asturias award for her decades of contribution to the arts.

The Devil Wears Prada star gave her speech in front of King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia and their daughter Leonor, whose title is the Princess of Asturias.

When Meryl finished, the King could be seen saying ‘muy bonito’ to his wife.

He then gave his own speech, in which he branded Meryl ‘majestic’ and ‘incredibly talented’.

LA CULTURA

November 2nd - November 15th 2023

CREDIT: All Pictures by Yzabelle Bostyn

12

LIERATURE FLOWS: through every aspect of life in the Alpujarras

INSPIRATION: Even the flower pots follow the literary theme - seemingly on every corner

Hiking by stanzas N

A Literary escape: From bins bearing Harry Potter covers to plant pots inscribed with poetry, is this the most cultured corner of inland Spain, asks Yzabelle Bostyn

ESTLED in the heart of the Alpujarra mountains of Andalucia lies the most charming village you’ve never heard of: Mecina Bombaron is a fairytale come to life, not least because it is an official ‘book town’ that has works of literature inscribed on practically every section of its whitewashed streets.

Quite simply, books are infused with everyday life in this quiet spot, from plant pots painted with poetry to bins bearing Harry

COMFY SEATING: Benches outside Mecina Bombaron town hall pay homage to children’s classics

Potter covers.

You live and breathe everything from the stanzas of Federico Garcia Lorca to the tomes of Ernest Hemingway, the prose of Cervantes to the rhyming couplets of Shakespeare.

And that’s not all. Mecina Bombaron is one of four book towns now connected by a series of stunning hiking trails, making the region the perfect escape for walkers and literary lovers alike.

Together with Yegen, El Golco and Montenegro they have added a new exciting chapter on the history and cultural importance of the rich and varied Alpujarra region.

The idea came about in the height of the Covid pandemic, when the Mayor of Mecina Bombaron, Jose Antonio Gomez, was confronted with a rapidly declining population, which dipped alarmingly below just 1,000 inhabitants in 2020.

Together with leaders from neighbouring Yegen, El Golco and Montenegro, they put their heads together to come up with a plan to save the village through the power of literature.

Inspired by celebrated British author Gerald Brenan, who lived in Yegen for many years, Granada’s ‘book towns’ were born.

A great hook to celebrate the literary history of the area, the South

of Granada author brought London’s famous Bloomsbury Group to Spain in the first half of the last century.

The likes of Virginia Woolf, Bertrand Russell and Lytton Strachey beat their way to his door in the rural escape, a hop and a skip from the snowline of the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

The legendary travel writer Bruce Chatwin even wove his way up to the 1,000-metre high village in the 1970s, later comparing the region to Afghanistan.

So important was Brenan’s love affair with the Alpujarras, he has been fittingly immortalised with a British-style blue plaque dedicated to him in Yegen (see sidebar on next page).

From this humble beginning, the project is now thriving, explains the Mecina Mayor: “Literature is such a wide reaching topic it allows us to develop in many different ways, so it’s a very sustainable idea,” he told the Olive Press.

“It also complements the beautiful landscapes we are already surrounded by.

The population here is seeing it more and more as their project and they choose the books we use.

“That means the project has a future and so do we.”

Visitors can take a stroll through the villages, spotting their favourite novels on benches, stables and fountains while admiring sweeping vistas of the nearby hills.

The mix of classics like Don Quixote and Romeo and Juliet, alongside children’s books such as The Little Prince, make this a great activity for families, couples or solo travellers.

Located in old phone boxes you will even find book exchanges, which are a free initiative designed to give locals and visitors the chance to discover a new book.

And then comes the best bit with a series of carefully marked routes going between all the villages, the best being the

WHERE TO STAY

● Benarum Hotel and Spa, Mecina Bombaron After a long day, relax at this spa-hotel with its steam room, jacuzzi and sauna or discover the Alpujarran way of life at its Casas Blancas rural accommodation. ● La Almunia de la Alpujarra, Yegen These cosy apartments are decorated in a traditional Alpujarran style with wooden beam ceilings and roaring fires. This tranquil oasis is surrounded by trees and the terrace offers panoramic views over the hills.

WHERE TO EAT

● El Rincon de Yegen, Yegen Offering traditional tapas and delicious pizzas, this restaurant is ideally located near the centre of Yegen. There is also an outdoor pool and plenty of beer, making this the perfect place to relax. ● Restaurante El Tinao, Yegen This restaurant prides itself on its great service and beautiful views over the town of Yegen. Serving simple but tasty tapas with a friendly atmosphere and rustic surroundings, this is a truly Alpujarran locale.

YEGEN: Which has long been a literary haven hosting Gerald Brenan and The Bloomsbury Club

LA CULTURA

November 2nd November 15th 2023

13

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walking route inspired by Gerald Brenan around Yegen.

But if a serious hike isn’t for you, a stroll around Mecina Bombaron’s acequias (streams) is a tranquil way to spend an afternoon, even in the summer thanks to the abundant shade of thousands of chestnut trees.

Start at the ‘Fuente Libro Don Pio’, a delightful book-shaped fountain inspired by Pio Navarro Alcala Zamora’s sociological study of the town.

Follow the ‘Acequia Baja’ which leads to a series of ramshackle stone houses and

bubbling brooks, with views in abundance.

On your return make sure to grab a coffee or cana at either Casa Joaquin or Bar Nevaillo. But beware, the sign outside the latter which warns customers; ‘I open when I come, I close when I go’, encapsulating the town’s laidback lifestyle.

This relaxed attitude is not one officials want to change with their new influx of tourists: “The world is continually getting faster, more stressful and more artificial,” explains Gomez. “We offer a return to nature and the quiet life.”

In the future, council leaders hope to ex-

pand the project, with plaques on each street dedicated to novels.

They will be accompanied by a QR code so visitors can learn more about the novel, alongside a translation in braille.

The towns are also now home to the Andalucian Poetry Prize (Certamen Andaluz de la Poesia Alpujarra) and next year, they hope to launch a new literary prize as well as literature conferences and talks.

As poet Gabriel Garcia Lorca, a frequent visitor from nearby Granada city once said about the area: “There is nothing as sad as being blind in Granada.”

Story of the south

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RENAN moved to Yegen in 1919 and began writing his most famous book, South from Granada in the early 1920s. Described as ‘an indispensable point of reference for modern ethnography’ it is one of the most in-depth, colourful books ever written about Spain, alongside the best by Laurie Lee, George Borrow and, of course, Chris Stewart, more recently.

Recounting Brenan’s remarkable rural life in the village, which had no proper roads, nor running water or electricity, it paints a wonderful picture of this sleepy corner of

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SETTING: Yegen was an inspiration to the British author

Spain untouched by modern life and is still a joy to dip into today. He lived in the village until the mid 1930s when he moved to Churriana, near Malaga, where his home has now been turned into a mu-

seum, thanks in part to an early campaign to save the cortijo from demolition by the Olive Press.

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14

HEALTH

Virus arrives A DEADLY tick-borne virus has been detected on the French-Spanish border.

The illness is reported to kill up to four in 10 people who catch it and the ticks which carry it have been detected in France for the first time.

Known as Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), the virus is closely related to Ebola.

Commonly seen in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the Balkans, the illness is rarely spotted in Europe, with occasional appearances in southern Europe, including Spain.

However the effects of climate change are now pushing the disease further north, with more occurrences in Spain, France and even Britain.

The disease was detected on cattle in the Pyrenees when live ticks were found harbouring the illness.

Symptoms, which appear suddenly, include achy muscles, abdominal pain, vomiting and a sore throat.

Broken capillaries can also trigger bleeding from the eyes, nose or skin.

November 2nd - November 15th 2023

SPANISH scientists are working on a new way of treating cancer, which involves ultra-fast blasts of powerful radiation.

The Institute of Instrumentation for Molecular Imaging (i3M) is running experiments involving radiation being administered via a laser for less than a second on living cells.

The study will investigate the imTHE Valencian authorities have rejected calls to scrap plans to re-nationalise two health departments - despite the new right wing government.

The Denia and Manises areas will return to public management next year after 15 years of contracts held by Ribera Salud and Sanitas.

Denia mayor, Vicent Grimalt, said he welcomed the news after a detailed audit showed the 'degradation' suffered in the Marina Alta.

Commissioned in January,

GOOD Radiotherapy breakthrough NEWS pact of different dose rates.

The Polytechnic University of Valencia is one of the institutions involved in the project.

A spokesman explained that conventional radiotherapy sees a continuous beam of particles applied to

a patient, which can have bad side effects.

He added that if a higher radiation dose is given in less than a second, then the negative impact on healthy issues appears to be considerably reduced.

NO U-TURN

Re-nationalisation to go ahead despite last minute move to derail

By Alex Trelinski

it also highlighted the 'poor conditions for the workforce' in the area of 180,000 people.

Benissa mayor Arturo Po-

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quet, said he was 'confident' that rising departures of health staff would now slow down.

The decision was a surprise after the PP and Vox parties took over the running of Valencia after the May elec-

tions.

The Health Ministry said that after months of speculation, a 'planned, rigorous and orderly’ transition will take place.

The Denia contract had been due to expire at the end of January but a deal has been struck with Ribera Salud for an extension up to May 1 to 'help the transition'.

Meanwhile the Manises transfer will take place a few days later on May 7 in an area of 210,000 residents.

The 'final stretch' until public management arrives ‘will be hard, but we will help to ensure that healthcare has the quality that users deserve,’ said a spokesman for Valencia.

A STUDY has revealed that in 2016 cancer deaths were 42,132 lower than expected in Spain, representing a 30% decline.

The study carried out by Frank R. Lichtenberg, from the University of Colombia (USA) was published last week.

Titled ‘The relationship between pharmaceutical innovation and mortality from cancer in Spain between 1999 and 2016’, the research evaluated treatments for 56 different types of cancer.

The study found that new pharmaceutical innovations caused the mean global age at which patients died to rise by almost three years between 1998 and 2015.

Treatment

According to the findings, the more modern the treatment, the less likely the patient is to die prematurely.

In Spain, the years of potential life lost before the age of 75 was reduced by 333,000 as a result.

During this period, Spain spent €1.09 billion on cancer treatments.

Although Spain was behind in the use of combined cancer treatments, it is set to double their use in the next five years.

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FINAL WORDS

A BENT Ukrainian priest is among five arrested after police in Spain tracked down 11 historical gold items dating to the 8th century BC worth €60 million that disappeared from a Kiev exhibition.

Dirty devil AN easyJet flight from Tenerife to London was cancelled after a passenger defecated on the toilet floor, but not before passengers were left waiting onboard for 3.5 hours.

Good news FENTANYL, the synthetic opiate that is causing a major health crisis in the United States, is yet to arrive on Spanish shores, officials have said.

The

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FREE Vol. 5 Issue 118 www.theolivepress.es November 2nd - November 15th 2023

Monkey business

TAKING THE P**S

Baker who urinated in bowls used to prepare food awarded €25k compensation for ‘unfair dismissal’ A BAKERY worker who was sacked after being caught on camera peeing into food preparation bowls has won €25,000 compensation after a tribunal decided her privacy was infringed.

The Catalan court ruled that her rights had been violated when the bakery rumbled her with a secret camera.

Footage showed her squat-

By Walter Finch

ting down and filling cookery bowls with her pee in the food production area.

She would then lightly rinse them in the sink and place them back among the clean items for use in the preparation of bread and pastries.

Neucroissant, the owner of

THIS is the moment a no-nonsense police officer was willingly tasered by colleagues as part of a bizarre training session in Sevilla.

A video from Guardia Civil training shows an officer being shot in the back with the electrical weapon - sending bolts of electricity charging through his body.

He screams in agony before two other officers, who are holding onto each of his arms, place him

the Cafe de la Estacion in Barcelona’s main train station, then fired her by letter for ‘breach of the contractual good faith and abuse of trust in the performance of work’.

Shock tactics down on a blue gym mat.

The officer holding the weapon then zaps his calf for good measure, causing him to shriek once more.

The room is then heard erupting into applause as he says: “Ouff god, what a trip, my soul left by body!”

She received the dismissal letter while she was on sick leave due to another unspecified workplace incident.

Outraged at her treatment, the worker filed a complaint with the Labour and Social Security Inspection. She alleged that she was dismissed during her sick leave and did not receive documentation related to her disability and unemployment benefits.

The court ruled that her dismissal was unfair, but not for the arguments she put forward.

Instead, they decided the company had violated her privacy by filming her without her knowledge using a hidden camera.

BIZARRE dolls depicting monkeys dressed in baby clothes have sparked a racism debate.

A stall at the San Pedro Feria in Marbella was pictured selling the souvenirs next to dolls that mostly depicted black children.

This led observers to accuse the seller of making a clear comparison between black people and monkeys, much like the centuries’ old racist trope.

However many locals and Brits argued online that there were also a handful of white baby dolls and that people ‘look for any excuse to be offended these days.’

One commenter wrote: “THIS is called racism!”, while another said the monkey dolls were racist because their palms are lighter, while ‘in real life gorillas are 100% black.’

They added: “So we already know what has inspired the creator of these dolls.”

However scores of mostly Spanish locals hit back, claiming people were overreacting.

One wrote: “There are white babies, black babies and baby monkeys… the only thing racist is your mind.”