Costa Blanca Olive Press - Issue 17

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Right turn A DANGEROUS lurch to the right could see Spain’s anti-immigrant Vox party becoming the kingmakers in this weekend’s general election.

The massive surge - off the back of the recent Catalan crisis and a fear of Islam - could see the party seizing 15% of the seats in Parliament.

The expected gains will seriously damage centre-right Ciudadanos, which could lose over half its seats, while the ruling PSOE and left wing Podemos are also expected to suffer.

Vox, which has pledged to ‘defend’ Spain from immigrants, is predicted to finish third in the country’s fourth general election in as many years.

The latest polling suggests Vox, led

by Santiago Abascal, will increase its 24 seats in Spain’s 350-seat parliament to 46.

Failed

Meanwhile Albert Rivera’s Ciudadanos will be reduced from 57 to 14. In the 40dB poll Vox is set to gain 14% of the vote, alongside the PP in second place with 21.2% and 91 seats and the PSOE coming first with 27.3% and 121 votes.

The PSOE’s predicted victory would see the party with two less seats than in April’s last election, prompting another headache for its leader Pedro Sanchez as he tries to form a government.

Opinion page 6

Spain goes to the polls

See pages 7 & 13

COSTA BLANCA

Vol. 1 Issue 17 www.theolivepress.es

November 7th - November 20th, 2019

EXCLUSIVE

By Joshua Parfitt

POLICE on the Costa Blanca have been slammed after they allowed a confused and disorientated British great-grandfather to walk out of a police station into the dead of night alone.

The family of pensioner Philip Pearce, 68, are demanding answers from Benidorm police over why he was released on September 10, at 3am.

They now fear for his life after he has been missing for an alarming two months.

And in a shocking email from the British Consulate, seen by the Olive Press this week, there are suggestions of a breach of duty of care.

The official email reveals the pensioner had clearly told police he ‘did not remember where he was staying’ nor where he was from in England.

The consulate email also stated Philip was carrying neither his passport nor his wallet when he was taken by a stranger to Benidorm’s Policia Nacional station in the Old Town just after midnight, as CCTV footage confirms.

However, what is not clear is how and why he was allowed to leave the station three hours later.

“The police are simply not answering our questions,” son Lee Pearce, 41, told the Olive Press last night.

“It’s absolutely gut-wrenching for us as a family, not knowing where he is and why he disappeared.

“I just want him home so badly. I miss him so much.”

Philip was known to be suffering from the early signs of dementia, but was ‘happy and smiling’ when he left for Alicante with a friend and travelling partner.

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DISAPPEARED: Philip Pearce enjoying a drink (above), while (above right) the last picture of the pensioner in Alicante Airport

He was having a good holiday until he left his Playa Levante hotel at 5.30pm on September 9 to buy cigarettes before he lost his bearings and was taken to police.

Wallet Two months on, Lee told the Olive Press a request for ‘a ground search and sniffer dogs’ has gone unanswered, while the family are left searching for answers.

“We just need closure on whether my dad is still alive or not,” Lee said.

“But apart from claiming to have sent out some drones to look, the police don’t seem to be doing anything at all.”

It comes as scores of British residents have spent weeks searching for signs of the grandfather-of-three.

Owner of Alicante Transfers, David McQueen, said he has

spent ‘four to five’ hours every day scouring abandoned buildings and traveller communities around the Costa Blanca.

“I even sent my dog out with a GoPro camera to search in every bush and in every corner, but we’ve found nothing,” McQueen said.

“I’ve got 130 taxi drivers who start at 4am and finish at 2am, but none of the hotels and establishments have seen a sign of Philip.”

The family has spent weeks putting up posters and handing out flyers of his missing father around Benidorm with contact details.

A spokeswoman for the British Consulate told the Olive

Press they ‘do not comment on individual cases’ such as Philip’s.

A Policia Nacional spokesman claimed ‘helicopters’ had been scrambled to search for Philip on various Benidorm hillsides.

However, they failed to answer questions about the exact details of his release from the station or whether sniffer dogs and ground searches had been deployed or would be soon.

Have you seen Philip? Get in touch at newsdesk@ theolivepress.es

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Kicked out

Scummy mum AN expat mother from Benalmadena has been jailed for six years after making sex videos with her young daughters, aged just 8 and 14.

Parking forgery PROSECUTORS are requesting four years jail time for a police officer accused of forging a disabled parking badge for his wife in Moncofa, Castellon.

Backstabber A 17-YEAR-OLD boy was knifed in the back by another pupil during class at a Torrevieja secondary school just after 8.50am on a Tuesday morning last week (October 29).

November 7th - November 20th 2019

Taken for a ride

NEWS IN BRIEF ILLEGAL squatters have been forced out by hundreds of angry residents after they broke into a 94-year-old woman’s house in the Basque Country while she was away visiting her ill sister.

CRIME

Busted SIX examiners on Benidorm’s Policía Local selection board are under investigation after one candidate spotted other aspirants cheating on a written exam.

The probe was launched after the angry candidate denounced the examiners claiming answers must have been leaked to some applicants prior to the exam.

Benidorm Court has ordered the examiners to answer the allegations in January.

Benidorm town hall has temporarily suspended the group and declared the test results invalid.

A CRIMINAL gang has been arrested for buying cars in the name of unsuspecting expats in order to apparent-

ly get clients out of traffic fines.

Police in Alicante and Murcia worked together to

probe the ring, leading to the arrests of three gestors, a mechanic and two former car owners.

YOU DOPE! A BLAZE at a cannabis farm has led to the arrest of a 48-year-old expat behind a string of illegal plantations.

Firefighters rushed to the Brit’s Costa Blanca villa in July when a clandestine lab in the Altea basement was wiped out following an electrical fire.

Police were then able to locate a new location at a separate cannabis farm in Crevillente.

A swoop on the isolated property saw the arrest of two members of his gang, from Montenegro, one of whom tried to flee through the roof.

This led to a third cannabis farm in San Ful-

gencio where they found the British kingpin, whose role was in seeking out ideal locations to install plantations.

Police seized 4.5kg of marijuana and 1,369 marijuana plants, counterfeit documentation, mobile phones and a car.

Russian executioner is ‘gay’

THE Russian man who allegedly killed his ex-partner in Denia has insisted he is gay and ‘can’t remember’ committing the brutal murder.

The attacker, 54, testified in Denia Court that he remembers scaling Helena’s 2ndfloor apartment block with a ladder and breaking in through a balcony window.

He also recalled carrying a butcher’s knife he had purchased the previous day.

However, the Russian national, whose name has been given as Roman, said he had ‘no recollection’ of murdering the 44-year-

old with the blade despite police arresting him in the kitchen covered in blood and with the murder weapon at his feet.

Roman, who urged Helena to leave Russia for Spain three years ago after meeting her on a dating site, also maintained he was ‘gay’ and never had a relationship with the mother-of-one.

Court declarations revealed Roman had given daughter Anastasia, 11, his phone and requested her to call police before he barged into Helena’s room to murder her while she was sleeping.

In the alarming case, the group purchased cars and took out insurance in the name of the third parties, which led to traffic violations in their names.

The police investigation – dubbed Operation ‘Negociado’ – began when an expat in Villajoyosa contacted authorities after receiving three denuncias for traffic violations committed in a car she knew nothing about.

They related to driving under the influence of alcohol, speeding, dangerous driving, driving without a licence and destroying road signs.

Police eventually traced the offending vehicles to a garage in San Pedro del Pinatar.

The owner admitted he had obtained the expat’s documentation through a friend.

Investigations revealed the expat’s signature had been falsified – along with many others – in the sale of the cars via well-known gestorías in Murcia and Alicante.

The mechanic and two former car owners have been charged with crimes of fraud and falsification of documents.

The trio of gestors have been charged as accomplices to the crimes.

NEWS

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Ronaldo back in the red CRISTIANO Ronaldo and his girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez have stolen the show at the MTV EMA awards in Sevilla.

The pair dazzled, stepping out in contrasting colours, with the footballer donning a red suit and white trainers, while his better half sported a blue dress that revealed one leg.

Spanish model Rodriguez is adjusting to family life with Ronaldo and his children Cristiano Jr., nine, two-yearold twins Eva and Mateo, and Alana, age 22 months.

The former Real Madrid star, who now plays for Juventus, recently said of their relationship: “She has helped me so much.”

He added: “I’m in love with her and we’ll be married one day, for sure. It’s my mum’s dream as well.”

His 25-year-old girlfriend recently admitted that’s ‘not easy’ being in a relationship with someone as famous as the Portuguese star.

A little sprinkle of Hollywood

November 7th - November 20th 2019

3

But grumpy Bake Off star threatens to fill in Olive Press’ cake hole for asking a question GREAT British Bake Off host, Paul Hollywood has spent some of his dough on a Halloween visit to Spain.

The greying star - who made €10million last year - has been spotted running a rule over a number of local bakeries on the Costa Blanca, where his dad lives.

Fresh from finishing another Channel Four series of the baking show, the 53-year old was spotted chewing over baguettes, bloomers and pastries in two cafe/bakeries in Quesada and Benijofar.

At one, Redz, he has been a regular for years, coming over a number of times a year to see his dad

himself, never engaging with his TOUGH COOKIE: Hollywood (inset) fans.” wouldn’t smile for the Olive Press, but He is also a regu- he does like Hamilton’s display (above) lar at Benijofar’s John, a former butcher from the celebrated Hamiltons, which is cakes and buns,” he told the Olive Wirral. one of the most popular expat Press this week.

“He’s here every day of his holibakeries on the Costa Blanca Cheshire-born Hollywood has day with his dad,” said one of the south. judged on the Great British waiters.

Boss Martin Ronald Dean, a forBake Off since 2010, forming an “Our boss Samantha has got mer croupier, who set up the bakeasy-going on-screen relationsome pics, but she can’t share ery and cafe seven years ago, said ship with Mary Berry, that the them as he doesn’t like selfies or the TV star was a very private Guardian newspaper described going on social media,” he addman of little words. as the show’s ‘secret weapon’. ed.

“He doesn’t say much, but he did However, off the show life has “He basically has a full English say he really liked our display of been far more complicated. breakfast and keeps himself to Apart from a long and acrimonious divorce from his wife of 19 years Alexandra, he has just broken up from his girlfriend of two years Summer, 24.

The split came after he tried to get her to sign a legal agreement The Olive Press has been reporting for 14 years in Spain. not to talk to the press earlier this And in all that time we have met and bumped into hundreds of celebrities from David Beckham to Alexei Sayle and Hugh year.

Grant to that lot from TOWIE. It went down like a collapsed pie Yet not one of them behaved in the despicable way Bake Off in the oven and she moved her star Paul Hollywood - worth over €10m - did last week. clothes and various other items Indeed, every time we have stopped to say hello to someone from their shared home in Kent famous, asked them about the weather or their holiday or life last weekend. in Spain, whatever, they smiled and at least declined to comment It was perhaps not surprising politely. then, that when the Olive Press Hooligan Hollywood in contrast acted like a gangster swaggering politely asked him for a quote into his local bar to give us a countdown to leave ‘or else’. for a brand new issue of the paOne might call it comical. Others might say he needs to learn per on the Costa Blanca south, he FULL ENGLISH: At Redz some manners. couldn’t have been blunter. each day It just goes to show all the dough in the world doesn’t buy class.

“You’ve got ten seconds to get out of here or else,” he threatened, afHE’S lived in Spain for the past six haven’t got a clue,” he admitted. ter pulling up in a Jagyears, playing in front of thousands of Bale, who earns £93,000 a day, said he uar at a local cafe in his Real Madrid fans at the Bernabeu. was mostly just interested in golf. dad’s urbanisation of So perhaps he might be excused for not “I follow the golf, that’s about it. I Montebello, near Beniknowing who the current British Prime can tell you who’s number one in the jofar.

Minister is. world.”

Despite merely asking In a shocking interview with the Tele- The Cardiff-born striker, who has an him what he liked about graph, the Welsh footie ace said he apartment in Marbella, and is often the area - and what he thought Boris Johnson was still the seen teeing off at nearby Finca Cortethought of the local mayor of London. sin golf course, has been linked with a bread and pastries - he He added he knows almost nothing move from Real Madrid all year. continued: “You lot are about Brexit.

It came after he was subject of harsh all the same, get lost.

“I look in terms of stuff financially, be- public criticism from Galacticos boss “I told you stop talking cause [Brexit] affects me in a certain Zinedine Zidane, while rumours have just get out and leave,” way for investments or money, because swirled about a rift between him and he added, in the worst things change, but I don’t read most of his Real teammates. The winger was manners ever witnessed the nonsense. I genuinely don’t know close to a move to China in the summer by this newspaper in 99 per cent of Brexit. I don’t even know before Real called the deal off due to fi14 years publishing in who the prime minister is anymore. I nancial concerns.

Spain.

EXCLUSIVE

By Jon Clarke and Simon Wade

OPINION

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JOLLY: Jolie in Spain

Blown away not blown up SMILING Angelina Jolie put on an Oscar-winning show of calmness as she enjoyed a day out shopping in Spain.

The 44-year-old was all smiles in the Canary Islands, despite having been evacuated from a film set following a bomb scare.

An unexploded device found in sand on the set forced the American star to flee the set in Fuerteventura, where she was filming upcoming Marvel film The Eternals last week.

The Maleficent star was accompanied by three of her children as she was spotted breezing through the streets of the island, famous for its winds.

NEWS

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Price for ice

Reporters Simon Wade and Joshua Parfitt

Your reporters, here to help on the Costa Blanca Contact them with any stories or news on 951 273 575 or email newsdesk@theolivepress.es (Personal contacts on page 6)

MORE expats have come forward complaining of bizarre charges at cafes and restaurants.

We have had dozens of tourists and expats complain about strange charges for everything from tap water to salt and pepper and mayonnaise.

It comes after we ran a story in August about an ice charge at a restaurant in Sevilla, followed up by restaurants charging customers for salt in Alicante.

Now, expat Lilian Flesher has complained after she was charged for having an ice cube in her coffee at Gringos Bar, in Albir, near Benidorm.

“It didn’t make sense as I didn’t get charged when I had a glass of tap water with ice in it, but when I asked for ice in a coffee I got charged,” she said.

Have you come across such peculiar charges? Get in touch at newsdesk@ theolivepress.es

November 7th - November 20th 2019

New Nolotil warning A year since the lethal drug’s ban, activist claims it is still being handed out without prescriptions

Spanish Medical Agency (AEMES) banned the medication’s sale without a prescription following a two-year ‘You’re killing us!’ campaign by the Olive Tragic end Press, alongside a separate one by Cristina.

Nolotil, also known as NOLOTIL Metamizol, is Spain’s VICTORY most sold medical drug KILL THE and is marketed as an DRUG alternative to Ibuprofen 902 123 282 or Paracetamol.

EXCLUSIVE “ I n However, the drug has been

By Robert Firth Denia they linked to numerous deaths are giving and serious illnesses among A CAMPAIGNER against leit left, right SALE *Offer ends 30/11/18. Not valid for renewals. Subject to conditions.

British expats and tourists, thal painkiller Nolotil has re- cies across 59 and centre from sepsis and a drop in Mosquito Screens vealed it is still being handed the Costa now,” she white blood cell count. out over the counter, despite Blanca. told the Olhealth authorities banning In a shock- PROBE: Garcia with reports ive Press.

Struggle its use without a prescription ing study “They are 12 months ago. she found the drug avail- even giving it to people who The medication, which is On the anniversary of the able over the counter in De- tell them specifically ‘I don’t usually harmless, is thought drug’s ban, medical transla- nia, Javea and other towns want it’. They are coming out to particularly affect Northtor Cristina Garcia del Cam- around Alicante province, and they’ve been prescribed ern Europeans with fair po revealed she was able to without a prescription this it.” complexions. buy the painkiller in pharma- summer.

The study comes after the It is already banned in the UK, Ireland and Sweden.

Garcia is now calling on the A WATERSPORTS company that whipped up the sea. sale of Nolotil to be banned ignored an orange weather warn- In the scary incident one mother completely to people whose ing and led a party of 22 into criti- broke her arm in the cave that has home country the drug is ilcal danger is facing the costs of an no land access and trapped the legal in. emergency six-hour rescue mission. group until a Maritime Rescue heliBut she says she’s facing an Dozens of police, firefighters and copter lifted all 22 to safety. uphill struggle against many members of the Red Cross and “There was an orange weather alert, Spanish health professionMaritime Rescue were involved in during which neither adults nor als who refuse to accept the the late night operation to reach the children should be out doing water danger the drug poses. terrified flotilla. sports,” insisted a spokesman for “The Spanish are convinced The group of paddle surfers became the Valencian Community. He said: that Nolotil is a safe meditrapped in Javea’s Cova del Llop “We have opened an investigation, cation,” she said. “They just Mari cave – near Playa Granadel- and if we learn that the costs should shrug their shoulders and la – as winds of up to 120km/h be repaid, they will be repaid.” say if you don’t want it, go away.”

Paddle Probe

WIN, WIN!

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

New Andalucia Rough Guide See inside

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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

Picture by Jon Clarke

4

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

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

Continues on Page 18

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EXCLUSIVE

By Laurence Dollimore

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

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

Just yesterday the retired couple from Cornwall were given

www.theolivepress.es

August 2nd - August 15th 2017

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

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

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

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The dad-of-two later died from septic shock – believed to be linked to taking the Nolotil.

Another British expat Hugh Wilcox was prescribed the same medication for mild shoulder pain on the Costa del Sol. He developed severe head

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doctor to get a renewal in April, tests showed the drug had caused a toxic poisoning in his bone marrow and his white blood cell was dangerously low.

Billy, a keen sportsman, developed sepsis and necrotising fasciitis as a result and required ‘radical surgery’ to remove the affected tissue in an attempt to save his life.

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KILL THE DRUG

Irish tourists.

Expats in Spain will now be administered Nolotil on a short term prescription only. Furthermore it can only prescribed after a detailed analysis be CAMPAIGN: of Previous SALE issue the patient’s medical his59 despite various side effects,Mosquitowhich tory and heritage.

Screens It will also have to be can cause a rapid drop in white blood much more closely mon- cells, leaving patients unable to fight infections. Medical translator, Cristina itored.

It comes after an Olive Garcia del Campo, who has pulled toPress investigation into gether hundreds of 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. FolSee page 43 launched lowing the results of her KILL THE in rigorous investigation she 2016, 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 detailed patient analysis. lated a year later.

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 AEMPS recommendations are carof Europe.

Despite this, the drug is ried out and if necessary make sure it’s still one of the most pop- banned completely.” The Olive Press ular painkillers in Spain, began investigating after a trio of expat families told us how their relatives had died unnecessarCASHBACK ON ily 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 in Alicante, issuing a warning to PAYBACK WHEN stop administering the drug to British, Irish and Scandinavian YOU SELL patients. www.ibexinsure.com

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

By Laurence Dollimore

TM

Need for more research

Dr Nina King, of Oasis Dental Care the campaign, telling the Olive Pressin Marbella, fully supports the drug is not something she prescribes.

“It’s not a drug I use, I stick to safe and standard medication,” she said, “And after seeing what damage it can do, it’s a drug I won’t be using in the future.”

Marbella-based private doctor Dra. Victoria María Chacón Almeda also agrees the drug is dangerous.

“I don’t prescribe the drug,” she told the Olive Press, tients and I am aware of what it is “I have lots of British pacapable of doing.

“There needs to be a lot more research on its impact.”

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

British dentists are supporting and doctors the ban after Briton Graham complained to the Ward, 75, Olive Press of how he was prescribed the deadly Nolotil drug by a dentist last week. one month to knock down their same drug that It’s the very only property (pictured Dr Nina King, of Oasis above). for killing his wifewas blamed In a court order in 2006. the campaign, telling Dental Care in Marbella, fully The Marbella-based Olive Press, the seen by the supports the Olive Press the she prescribes. expat drug is not something was furious when warned they will be Wards are he was told “It’s not a drug I use, held crimito take the painkiller nally responsible if she said, “And after I stick to safe and standard medication,” they refuse. by his Spanish dentist, “I don’t know what I won’t be using in seeing what damage it can do, ing from a difficultafter suffermore, I’m at the to do anyit’s a drug Marbella-based the future.”

His wife Mary, 59, abscess. private doctor Dra. tether” Gill told the end of my had died afAlmeda also agrees Olive Press, Victoria María ter being prescribed “I’m totally exhausted the drug,” she told the drug is dangerous. “I don’t Chacón the same from the drug following a whole ordeal.” prescribe the Olive Press, “I tients and I am aware have lots of tomy at Costa deldouble vasecThe retired pair, who Sol Hospital.

“There needs to be of what it is capable of doing.British pa“Within 24 hours spent thousands of have now a lot more research on its impact.” in intensive care, she was gal costs, bought euros on leblood cell count her white doctor to get house ‘in ruins’ the old farmplummeted in 2004, and to zero within days,” renewal in April,a were given permission The dad-of-two from Graham, a former explains tests showed the Velez-Malaga town later died from computer hall to retechnician, from drug had caused build it.

HAPPIER TIMES: septic shock – London.

Graham with She never regained a toxic poisoning But when the original wife, and Billy believed to be Smyth wall colness and was on conscious- again. in his bone marlapsed of its own linked to taking a life support “He said Metamizole, machine for FOUR she would be alive row construction, the accord during the Nolotil. if in the US, theNolotil is banned bloodand his white months, she hadn’t before spending tect told them it Wards’ archiUK, Ireland and Another cell was three years heard fromtaken it, but I have most of Europe, Britfighting the impact dangerously low. and that he wouldwould be fine dozens of Brits ish expat Hugh let the town of the and Irish scribed widely in but it is pre- Billy, drug, which led hall know. Unfortunately Wilcox was preSpain. a keen to organ fail- it,” addedwho have been given Irishman for ure.

Graeme.

William scribed the same ‘Billy’ sportsman, develIt is the third victim Smyth was given Continues on Page “The chief surgeon medication a five-day oped sepsis and of 8 for pital promised me at the hos- drug the Olive Press has the course of the drug in Febru- necrotising fascimild shoulder re- ary. he would ported on in never prescribe itis as a result and pain on the Costa that drug Sometimes under a year. known also as But when the 66-year-old re- required ‘radical surgery’ del Sol. turned to a different to He developed severe head Spanish remove the affected tissue in an attempt to save his life.

Continues

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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TOXIC: Oil refinery plumes

SEE PAGE 13

ENVIRONMENTAL groups are taking legal action against the Junta ‘failing to tackle toxic air’ in the Campo for de Gibraltar.

Ecologistas en Accion has filed a complaint with the Health Ministry, claiming nothing has been done to protect citizens from a rise in air pollutants caused by the expansion of ‘toxic’ industries in the Bay of Algeciras.

According to the green group, more than 10,000 tonnes of dangerous lutants were released into the atmosphere pollast year.

This includes potentially lethal cancer-causing chemical benzene, as well as other fine particles.

The writ comes as Cadiz province was officially declared to have the air quality in Spain. worst And alarmingly, La Linea, which borders Gibraltar, ranks as the 30th most polluted place in the world in terms The shocking stats were revealed of air quality. tion report which lists the world’s in a damning World Health Organisa‘most contaminated’ towns and cities.

Adding salt to the wound, Cadiz Continues page 11 also came bottom in

Bizarre

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

It came as a hero security guard somehow managed to grab the before she was able to plunge to girl her death after her lover.

In a tragically sad incident - that has shocked the coast and made headlines around the world - the teenager, who we are not naming for legal A LETHAL painkiller believed to be rereasons, is now requiring serious sponsible for the deaths of dozens of expats is finally being regulated in Spain.

Nolotil, which the Olive Press has invesContinues page 2 tigated for nearly two years, has been TM

EXCLUSIVE

By Laurence Dollimore

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

British dentists and doctors are supporting the ban after Briton Graham Ward, 75, complained to the Olive Press of how he was prescribed the deadly Nolotil drug by a dentist last week. It’s the very one month to knock down their same drug that was blamed only property (pictured above). for killing his wife in 2006.

In a court order seen by the The Marbella-based expat Olive Press, the Wards are was furious when he was told warned they will be held crimito take the painkiller by his nally responsible if they refuse.

Spanish dentist, after suffer“I don’t know what to do anying from a difficult abscess. more, I’m at the end of my His wife Mary, 59, had died aftether” Gill told the Olive Press, ter being prescribed the same “I’m totally exhausted from the drug following a double vasecwhole ordeal.” tomy at Costa del Sol Hospital.

The retired pair, who have now “Within 24 hours she was spent thousands of euros on lein intensive care, her white gal costs, bought the old farmblood cell count plummeted house ‘in ruins’ in 2004, and to zero within days,” explains were given permission from Graham, a former computer Velez-Malaga town hall to reHAPPIER TIMES: Graham with technician, from London. wife, and Billy Smyth build it.

She never regained conscious- again.

But when the original wall colMetamizole, Nolotil ness and was on a life support “He said she would be alive if in the US, the UK, is banned lapsed of its own accord during machine for FOUR months, she hadn’t taken it, but I have most of Europe, Ireland and construction, the Wards’ archibefore spending three years heard from dozens but it is pretect told them it would be fine fighting the impact of the and Irish who have of Brits scribed widely in Spain. and that he would let the town William drug, which led to organ fail- it,” added Graeme. been given Irishman ‘Billy’ hall know. Unfortunately for Smyth was given a five-day ure.

It is the third victim “The chief surgeon at the hos- drug the Olive Press of the course of the drug in FebruContinues on Page 8 has re- ary. pital promised me he would ported on in under But when the 66-year-old renever prescribe that drug Sometimes knowna year. also as turned to a different Spanish

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

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THE Olive Press is giving away three pairs of tickets for two of the best concerts on the Costa del Sol this summer...

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NEWS

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This time next year

THERE are almost one million Spanish millionaires and the amount has risen five-fold in less than a decade.

An incredible 979,000 Spaniards meet the definition, a number that rose by 33,000 in 2018 alone.

Spain is now 10th in the world rankings for excess wealth, according to bank Credit Suisse’s Global Wealth Report 2019.

It discovered that Spain has seen an increase of millionaires by 470% since 2010.

The number of Spanish millionaires will grow by around 42% over the next five years.

However it has emerged that 92% of the current number have less than €5 million.

November 7th - November 20th 2019

Better help Greta!

Teen activist needs YOUR help to make it across the Atlantic to Spain for key international climate summit

By Charlie Smith

SHE’S galvanized children across the world with her impassioned speeches on climate change.

Kids in 4,000 cities staged mass walkouts to protest against adults and politicians polluting the planet.

But now celebrity activist Greta Thunberg is facing her biggest challenge yet as she bids to cross the Atlantic for a critical climate summit, just announced for Spain.

The 16-year-old Swede, who

Speedy Gonzalez A FELL runner sprinted for over 20 minutes with a defibrillator to save an expat suffering a suspected heart attack on a Costa Blanca mountaintop.

The experienced runner raced to the peak of Tossal del Moro, in Gata de Gorgos, followed by a local policeman to administer the potentially life-saving electric pulse to the Belgian walker.

The man, who was out walking with a group, was then airlifted to safety by helicopter to Benidorm Hospital. The runner is a technician at Gata’s department of sport.

was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, is currently stuck in Texas, as she aims to make it to the Madrid conference over land and sea.

Famed for her low carbon footprint, she is looking for help from expats across America and Europe as she refuses to fly or drive, instead preferring greener transport like trains and boats.

But her green footprint has left her in trouble after the location for the UN COP25 climate summit was switched at the last minute from South America to Spain.

Her plans to head to Chile have had to be shelved, with the showdown now moved to Madrid, after a series of massive protests scared off organisers in Santiago.

But after Thunberg made her way to New York City by boat in August, en route to South America, she found herself

stuck 5,700km from the Spanish capital.

“It turns out I’ve traveled halfway around the world, the wrong way,” the teen wrote on her Twitter account, which has STRANDED: Environmental three million fol- campaigner Thunberg needs a lowers. lift to Madrid by boat and train “Now I need to find a way to cross the Atlan- with a little over three weeks to tic,” she wrote, this week. “If make it to Madrid. anyone could help me find She already has an offer from transport I would be so grate- Spain’s Minister for the Environment, Teresa Ribera, who ful.”

The Olive Press has stepped in said: “We would love to help to offer her a lift in an electric you to cross the Atlantic. car from any of the ports she “It would be great to have you can make it to on the Iberian here in Madrid.”

Peninsula, that could include After she had made it all the way to LA, Thunberg is now Cadiz, Lisbon or A Coruna.

The summit that aims to im- heading back towards Amerplement the 2015 Paris agree- ica’s east coast, having made ment, will take place from stops in South Dakota and December 2-13, leaving Greta British Columbia.

Thunberg will be one of 25,000 people to attend Spain’s first ever climate summit, which will cost around €90 million to hold.

PASSENGERS at Alicante airport were lucky It comes as Spain’s governnot get burnt with delayed flights as a fire igment may be locked in political nited at a nearby rubbish dump. crisis again, as the latest polls The blaze, next to the airport, was quickly suggest that no party will seput out by three fire engines, one from the cure an overall majority in the airport.

November 10 general election.

Luckily the airfield was not affected and planes were able to take off and land.

Can you help Greta It is unsure how the fire started, but a bundle Thunberg cross the of clothes in a landfill site is thought to be the Atlantic? Get in touch at main source of the fire. newsdesk@theolivepress.es

Airport blaze

5

Helping out ONE of the Costa Blanca’s most prestigious charities has announced an exciting expansion on its 35th anniversary.

HELP has changed its name as it expands into Denia with 12 health centres opening in the surrounding areas.

“We are now HMA,” president Candida Wright told the Olive Press, “My feelings are we will continue to grow and do as much as we can.”

This year Wright became the third HMA volunteer to receive an MBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours for services to the British community in Spain.

The charity has raised in excess of €3 million throughout its lifespan, with donations providing everything from comfy chairs in the chemo ward to key medical equipment.

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 one million people a month.

OPINION Duty of care

WHAT happened at the police station in Benidorm at around 3am on September 10 (Vanished, pg 1)?

Police matters are top-secret and confidential for a reason – they concern public safety.

But when a family has been demanding answers for two months about the disappearance of a grandfather, brother, uncle, father and friend the police need to regain some trust.

All requests for information from authorities have been allegedly batted away.

Lee Pearce, the 41-year-old son of missing Philip Pearce, 68, even told this newspaper he broke down on the floor of the Benidorm station from sheer desperation.

This story must not end here. We need answers and information about what work has been undertaken to find Philip.

The family needs closure, but so long as they claim to face a wall of silence there will be no moving on.

Vox comes knocking Predictions that Vox could become the kingmakers if this weekend’s elections prove again to be inconclusive are worrying for expats and Spaniards alike.

The far-right nationalists have pledged to retake Gibraltar and ban political parties that support Catalan independence.

Its leader, Santiago Abascal, is anti-Islam and has called for a reconquista - a rollback of five or more centuries when Jews and Muslims were expelled from Spain.

Vox want to ‘Make Spain Great Again,’ according to a poster they used during the April election campaign.

And unlike the American president, whose slogans the party mimic, its members back up their words with action.

In 2016, their current leader unfurled a giant Spanish flag on the rock of Gibraltar, an act he was willing to be arrested for.

With a coalition between the bickering centre-left PSOE and leftwing Podemos still looking unlikely, the PP and Ciudadanos may be tempted to break the impasse and make bedfellows with the far-right xenophobes.

But they would be foolish to do so, as it could sent Spain into a dangerous spiral of populism and lead to the expelling of expats and many other decent hard-working immigrants.

Publisher / Editor

Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es Charlie Smith Joshua Parfitt charlie@theolivepress.es joshua@theolivepress.es Laurence Dollimore laurence@theolivepress.es

Jacque Talbot jacque@theolivepress.es

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2016 - 2019 Best expat paper in Spain and the second best in the world. The Expat Survey Consumer Awards.

2012 - 2019 Named the best English language publication in Andalucia by the Rough Guides group.

November 7th - November 20th 2019

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WE DIG IT

DICTATOR BURIED

2019

WITH 30,000 OF

HIS VICTIM S

Franco exhu from his Vallmed ey of the Fallen grav after agonisi e 44-year wai ng t

Page 7

How we nailed a corruptUntitledChampagne SOM 1 BRE: Franco’s 16/06/2017 socialist MP 1.pdfPage 15:36 family carri mem 18 orial before it was taken

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By Jacque Talbot

SPAIN is rejoicing as one of the been exhumed from the grave world’s cruelest dictators victims. has he shared with his Civil War Finally the relatives conflict have been of those killed in the Franco’s death. offered some solace, 44 country’s bloodiest years after General The facist leader Fallen alongsid had been buried in Madrid’s Valley of year regime. e some of the 500,000 who died under his the 36-

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Millions around Spain rejoiced after the remains of evil dictator Franco were finally removed from his controversial burial spot. The Olive Press sent Heather Galloway to witness the historic day

N the event, it was an ignominious affair with even Franco’s staunchest supporters in short supply.

What had been billed as a momentous occasion - something of a seminal turning point in Spain’s traumatic history - turned out to be a distinct anti-climax.

With more of a whimper than a bang, the former dictator’s remains were finally unearthed from their burial place under the basilica at the Valley of the Fallen, and taken somewhat unceremoniously by helicopter to their new location, also near Madrid.

Without any of the pomp and circum stance of his first send-off almost 44 years ago, Francisco Franco was reintered at Mingorrubio-el Pardo cemetery next to his wife, Carmen Polo.

The low-key transfer took place in front of just a handful of supporters and family and with only two members of the Franco clan allowed to see his actual exhumation.

The family had fought tooth and nail with Pedro Sanchez’s socialist government for years to keep their grandfather’s embalmed body in the basilica next to his far-right Falangist hero, Jose Antonio Prima de Rivera.

But therein lay the problem - their bodies lay in the vicinity of some 30,000 victims of the Spanish Civil War (many actually killed by Franco’s troops), for whom the monument was actually built.

So here I was alongside hundreds of journalists and a handful of Franco diehards gathered at the entrance to the monument, built 40 kilometres north of Madrid, as watched the two family members arrive for the exhumation being carried out several kilometres away beneath the towering 150-metre high cross.

After being searched for recording devices, they stood within the screened-off area around Franco’s tomb along with Spain’s Minister of Justice Dolores Delgado, a forensic scientist and several other officials to record the historic event.

Alongside me, there was some considerable indignation and rage.

“The fact they have closed the basilica for two weeks and not allowed the faithful in to pray is an attack on Christianity and religious freedom,” Estefania Aguirre, 34, told me, adding that she was a personal friend of the Valley’s

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Benedictine Prior, Santiago Cantera, who ers and a crane had been on standby since Ocfought along with the family against exhuming tober 11 and trundled into action at 10.30 am Franco’s remains. on the morning of October 24 to lift the 1,500 “I think the whole exhumation has breached kilos of granite that covered the tomb.

Church and State relations and we’re going to Once the flagstone was removed, there was see more and more attacks against religious reportedly a layer of lead and cement to get liberty in Spain.” through before the coffin could be lifted out.

Her Barcelona-born mother Laura Wachter Inside, Franco’s body was sealed in zinc, which was holding a banner next to her reading sim- would have preserved it perfectly according to ply ‘Estado Dictatorial’, likening the actions to Dr Antonio Piga, one of the forensics who emthat of a dictatorship. balmed the dictator on his death.

“This is North Korea,” she said repeatedly. “The tomb will be dry and the body in perfect “It’s very sad that Spaniards are being pitted condition,” he insisted. “Franco will be desicagainst one another when there are many cated like an Egyptian mummy; dry and hardmore important issues to tend ened but with all his organs.” to.”

Curiously though, there was In another huddle, the most no Spanish flag draped on the vocal member, Pilar Gutierrez, “Franco will be coffin as it was borne away on who also happens to be a psythe shoulders of the family who desiccated like had by then been waiting over chologist, was entertaining the press with her views. two hours to receive it. an Egyptian “Some 8,000 people were No doubt it was a bitter mokilled for just being Catholic mummy; dry and ment; a year ago, they called during the war and this is what the exhumation ‘an act of retrohardened” this government wants to bring spective revenge without precback,” she railed. edent in the civilized world’.

“You can only expect the worst Now, Europe’s last monument from the Socialists.” to a fascist dictator had finally morphed into Taking an equally strong line was a former something else. member of Spain’s army, who came sporting After a 15-minute flight to Mingorrubio, just 50 his green beret. kilometres away, the helicopter landed within “We are here to show our loyalty to our lead- the Royal Guard’s old firing range where 22 er,” Lorenzo Fernandez Navarro, 69, told me. family members were waiting to follow the Cau“When Franco died, I was a lieutenant in the dillo’s body in a cortege towards the cemetery.

Sahara. We swore to respect and obey our Security was tight. The gathering had been leaders. And always means always, whether planned by the Franco Foundation ‘to pray for they are alive or dead. We have come here to the soul of Francisco Franco Bahamonde’ and comply with our oath that this government has lay flowers on his tomb but this was banned by insulted.” the Government the day before on the grounds Less vociferous, was his colleague Adolfo Co- it posed a risk to public order. loma, 66, who explained: “More than being Reduced then to include mainly family, the about one side or the other, the monument subsequent funeral was conducted in the cemstood for reconciliation. etery’s Pantheon by Prior Santiago Cantera, “We have managed to overcome the divisions and also intriguingly by Ramón Tejero, the son in Spain. To speak now about who killed more of Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Tejero, who infapeople is bad news.” mously led 200 members of the Civil Guard in Judging by how long it took before Franco’s an attempted coup on February 23, 1981. body was raised heavenward by a military he- Spain’s national newspaper El País described licopter, excavating the Caudillo was no easy the exhumation as Pedro Sanchez’s ‘most feat. symbolic achievement’.

Heavy machinery, including a forklift truck, roll- He has certainly managed to belittle the dictator’s legacy and close a chapter of Spain’s painful history, though as the authorities filed out of the valley, the Francoists berated their ‘evil’ actions with cries including: ‘You have not seen the end of this!’

The prophecy would seem to have little foundation given that the majority of Spaniards have shown themselves to be relatively diffident about Sanchez’s project.

The statistics show that only 36% of the country agreed with the action, while an even smaller 28% were against. Clearly a full third of Spain would much rather get on with dealing with ‘more important’ matters.

Either way, for those with Republican loved ones buried at the Valley of the Fallen - or in the thousands of other mass graves around Spain - it will be a day to savour for the rest of their lives.

‘FRANCO LIVES’: The dictator’s suppporters at his exhumation

www.theolivepress.es

FEATURE

7

Here we go again

7 Olive Press online

November 7th - November 20th 2019 that’s the

Spain’s best English news website

Users

585.4K 1.2 M 1.5 M ON TOP: Olive Press website traffic for last four weeks

THE PAPER WITH THE REAL NUMBERS

Spaniards are heading to polling booths for the fourth time in four years as voters hope to bring an end to the country’s political stalemate.

But who’s contesting it? What do they want?

And what are their chances of success?

A

s Britain prepares for a snap general election, Spanish voters are getting ready to go to the ballot box themselves ahead of an election this Sunday.

While Spaniards have cast their votes once already this year, no single party got a majority. The largest party, the left-leaning PSOE, called new elections after its coalition talks with left-wing upstart Podemos broke down.

While the PSOE led by Pedro Sanchez is expected to emerge as election winners again, it is far from certain whether they will win enough votes to gain a majority. And with the Catalan riots causing waves across Spanish society and polarising opinions, a surprise could still be in store come Monday.

While the socialists are expected to emerge on top again, leader Pedro Sanchez looks unlikely to get the majority he was hoping for when he agreed to go back to the public in September. His backtracking, at least rhetorically, on his support for further Catalan autonomy has been attacked by Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias who has accused him of mimicking PP and Vox. Nonetheless, he remains popular with vast swathes of the electorate for increasing the minimum wage and rolling back some austerity measures.

I Spain’s centre-right party had taken a lurch to the right recently, in an attempt to claw votes back from farright Vox, which has eaten into its traditional base. During the recent Catalan riots against the imprisonment of pro-independence politicians, he called for the immediate suspension of Catalan autonomy on the pretext of restoring order to the region. While Pablo Casado’s party is expected to make some gains, it remains tainted in the minds of many Spaniards for implementing crushing austerity policies and a string of corruption scandals when it was last in government.

The left-wing anti-austerity party sent shockwaves through the Spanish political establishment back in 2016 when the new party stormed to third place.

However, it has struggled to capitalise on its gains since. It is the only major party which supports granting a vote on independence to Catalunya and is hoping to distinguish itself from the PSOE with its ambitious social policies, including reducing the working week to 34 hours and imposing rent controls.

Dubbed as Spain’s answer to Emmanuel Macron’s En Marche party in France after it rocketed to third place in April’s elections, the centrists have been beset by a chain of damaging controversies ever since. Its eagerness to enter regional alliances with Vox saw Barcelona Pride ban the party from the city’s Pride parade in June and its tough stance on Catalan independence has seen it shed more left-leaning voters.

T’S not every day you knock a well known regional newspaper, a national newspaper and a popular consumer site into a cocked hat!

But this week we find the Olive Press website ranking at 12,636th position in the world, according to Amazon’s Alexa.com.

That is out of billions of websites and, in perspective, puts us above both the respected Liverpool Echo (13,156th), Scotland’s prestigious Daily Record (22,815th) and well known Mumsnet at 17,210th position.

It also places www.theolivepress.es in the Top 1000 sites in Spain and the UK. By traffic numbers - around 40,000 to 50,000 visits a day - we are in 606th position in Britain and 910th in Spain.

Meanwhile we rank at 813th in Ireland and 79th in Gibraltar, while 3% of our visitors come from America and 3% from Holland, Germany and France.

Other local newspapers Sur in English and Euro Weekly News came in at a lowly 155,869 and 31,529th.

The Mallorca Daily Bulletin ranks at 875,718, while the Costa Blanca News ranks at 2.9m, Costa-news at 1.23m, Alicantetoday at 2.51m and Typically Spanish at 1.5m

MILLIONS OF VISITORS This boils down to visitor numbers and pages viewed and we had 1.5 MILLION pages read over the last four weeks (see Google Analytics graph above), with 1.2 MILLION visits.

Using the research of another respected site Similar Web we discovered that the Euro Weekly News is getting under a third of our traffic, while the Sur in English and the Costa Blanca News a fraction of that.

Much of this is due to the sheer number of third-party sites linking into us over the last three months.

The total is a healthy 1,057 sites, and this includes nine sites in the world’s Top 20, as well # as many from global media groups, including the BBC, the New York Post and the Daily Mail.

12,636

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The animal rights party PACMA, which wants to ban the sale of animals had its best showing yet in the April elections, gaining over 300,000 votes. The anti-war party also wants to ban bloodsports, such as bullfighting.

The far-right party’s hardline anti-independence stance on Catalunya has proved popular among the Spanish electorate following the October riots in Barcelona, with a recent poll putting the party in third place. Its leader Santiago Abascal recently described Catalan Independence as a ‘coup d’etat’ against the Spanish state. The party has also threatened to ban pro-independence parties and to take back Gibraltar from Britain if it gets its hands on the reigns of power.

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The top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are: - British father and son who vanished from Spain’s Costa del Sol likely ‘killed in botched drug deal’ as ransom call from Morocco revealed (29,598)

2 The Catalan pro-independence party has surged in popularity in Barcelona following the jailing of the organisers of Catalan’s illegal independence referendum. Its jump in support comes on the back of the collapse of Ciudadanos in the region, who are against self-determination.

# 910

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1

- Mystery man found dead in ditch on Costa del Sol ‘had no roots’ in Spain and was killed ‘just a few hours before’ being dumped (27,152)

3 4 5

- ‘Well-known’ restaurant owner in British tourist hotspot in Spain arrested for treating desperate staff like slaves with €2.80 per hour salaries and 14-hour days (26,369)

- Temperatures to soar on Spain’s Costa del Sol this holiday weekend starting from TOMORROW (23,375) - Number of British expats registering on Spain’s Costa del Sol SURGES as Brexit looms (20,443)

606

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November 7th - November 20th 2019 Check out our issues online at www.theolivepress.es

LETTERS

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Gibraltar Issue 109 OLIVE PRESS GIBRALTAR

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Vol. 5, Issue 109 www.theolivepress.es November 6th - November 19th 2019

Triple trouble

Weeks after his election victory, Picardo has tabled a motion for an abortion legalisation referendum

Better help Greta!

SEE Page 4

A BELEAGUERED animal shelter has slammed a court order which euthanasia chemicals sometimes with German Pietsch ‘falsifying contained a slew of allegations as documents’. ‘unjust’.

Bizarrely, she and another forIt comes after a judge ormer president allegedly dered committal hearsacrificed black pets ings against six forfirst. mer members of MarThe Olive Press was bella’s Triple A team the first paper to refor a ‘massive and veal in April 2016 unjustified’ sacrifice how a huge police of animals for years. operation saw the arMarbella’s court is rests of two expats probing whether and a vet at the the charity alsanctuary. lowed the slow An incredible 15 and agonising Guardia Civil offideaths of numercers were involved ous animals over in the dramatic at least a sixraid seizing comyear period from puters, documents 2011. and other eviIt claimed that dence. former President Bettina Pietsch allowed the anFraud imals, most Pietsch, Dutch Secof which were retary Jan Weima healthy, to be and a senior vet sacrificed with were arrested for incorrect levels animal cruelty and of anaesthetic. dog trafficking, A disproportionalong with 17 other STRANDED: Environmental ate number were campaigner Thunberg needs staff members. a lift to Madrid by boat and killed, most train judge has ‘without veter- ARRESTS: How the Olive The now dismissed the inary control’ Press reported the police charges against 14 and without the raids in 2016 of them, but the final right knowledge on the doses six face charges of SHE’S galvanized children across needed to prevent pain. animal abuse, EXCLUSIVE the world with her impassioned The investigation found that the grateful.”

By Charlie Smith documentaspeeches on climate change. shelter acquired large amounts The Olive Press has stepped in of ry falsificaKids in 4,000 cities staged mass summit was switched to offer her a lift in an tion, miswalkouts to protest against minute from South at the last car from any of the ports electric America to she can appropriadults and politicians polluting Spain. make it to on the Iberian Penination of the planet. sula, that could include Cadiz, Her plans to head to funds, soBut now celebrity activist Greta had to be shelved, Chile have Lisbon or A Coruna. cial secuwith the Thunberg is facing her biggest showdown now moved rity fraud to Ma- The summit that aims to implechallenge yet as she bids to cross drid, after a series and more. of massive ment the 2015 Paris agreement, the Atlantic for a critical climate protests scared off organisers will In particular, in 2-13,take place from December summit, just announced for Santiago. many leaving Greta with a little animals Spain. were rehomed off But after Thunberg made her over three weeks to make it to The 16-year-old Swede, who was way to New York City the books.

Madrid.

In a Facebook nominated for the Nobel Peace in August, en route by boat She already has an offer to South from statement, Prize, is currently stuck in Texas, America, she found herself the Spain’s Minister for the charity as she aims to make it to the Ma- 5,700km from the Spanishstuck ment, Teresa Ribera, Environclaimed who said: capthe allegations are drid conference over land or sea. ital.

“We would love to help you to part of a ‘malicious Famed for her low carbon foot- “It turns out I’ve traveled half- cross the Atlantic. campaign’ orchesprint, she is looking for help way around the world, “It would be great to have you trated ‘years befrom expats across America and way,” the teen wrotethe wrong here in Madrid.” fore’, and that it is Europe as she refuses to fly or Twitter account, which on her committed to provhas three drive, instead preferring greener million followers. ing the accused are Crisis transport like trains and boats.

“Now I need to find a way to innocent.

After she

LEAVERS: Trio YOU WHAT: Crossing in middle of campo?

Teen activist needs YOUR help to make it across the Atlantic to Spain for key climate summit

You total doughnut!

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October 25th - November 10th 2019 Vol. 3 Issue 66 www.theolivepress.es

SPAIN DIGS UP DICTATOR BURIED

Please stop BREXIT

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had made it all the way to LA, Thunberg is now heading back towards America’s east coast, having made stops in South Dakota and British Columbia.

Thunberg will be one of 25,000 people to attend Spain’s first ever climate summit, which will cost around €90 million to hold.

It comes as Spain’s government may be locked in political crisis again, as the latest polls suggest that no party will secure an overall majority in the November 10 general election.

cross the Atlantic,” she wrote, this week. “If anyone could help me find transport I would be so

WITH 30,000 OF HIS VICTIMS

WE DIG IT

Franco exhumed from his Valley of the Fallen grave after agonising 44-year wait

How are squatters evading the banks?

Page 7

out of the How we nailed a Franco’s family carries his body SOMBRE: 15:36 Champagne by helicopter 16/06/2017 1 corruptUntitled-1.pdf memorial before it was taken socialist MP Page 18

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By Jacque Talbot

cruelest dictators has SPAIN is rejoicing as one of the world’s shared with his Civil War been exhumed from the grave he victims. in the country’s bloodiest Finally the relatives of those killed 44 years after General conflict have been offered some solace, Franco’s death. in Madrid’s Valley of the The facist leader had been buried who died under his 36Fallen alongside some of the 500,000 year regime.

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They’ve been getting stoned for centuries.

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Issue 28

April 2019

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

See Fran-tastic page VI

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HE average property price two consecutive years for thein Spain has grown The national for Prices first 3.9% to 8.4%, average house price time in a decade. rise for two Along the rose from between according to Mediterranean consecutive while mortgage various sources. most foreigners coasts and buy, the values continueyears, on cording to However, he Tinsa, Spain’saverage price hike the islands, where added ‘at the But the figures to grow Spanish property Balearic Islands. leading property has been 4.06%, very have mostly acduring the continued to least, the data suggests Mortgage long six year not yet made upappraisal company. “Prices have been rising grow that the but nothing for the big January to lending to home buyers last year.’ recession, with most years drops enough 19,390 like they meanwhile since the exception was up 6.1% to claw back did in the boom years,the recovery began, Spanish Notaries. new loans, according of the respected in to the Association analyst Markthe ground lost in and nowhere near The average new loan of the bust,” explained an increase made Stucklin, of Spanish Property residential of 0.9% in a year.in January had a value of €135,616, As long as Insight. the last acquisitions continues mortgage lending few years, the to increase, for Spanish property as it market is sethas done for to grow.

for)

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See Property Magazine inside

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SPAIN’S PP party has set out cious plans for a power grab audaback to take control from Valencia and the other autonomou s regions.

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

He insisted that prevent corruptionsuch a move would and lead to a in taxes. drop It comes as the EXCLUSIVE off the threat party attempts to see

By Joshua Parfitt Voted from an insurgent Party, whose leader REuse expat REduce paper has described Vox autonomous parliaments REcycle in Spain the THE beleaguered Voted as the ‘cancer of Spain’.

Govt in expat wealth managementboss of a failed paper exile REuse Under the plan, in Spain company which REduce allegedly REcycle se resources forthe PP wants to increa- million lost expats more than €20 delegations and regional government court. has ignored a summons Confusion reigns to transfer of power paralyse any further Darren to the regions.

Kirby, of Alicante-based Continental (CWM), failedWealth Management Supremacy court on March to turn up at Denia Who’s paying us?

According to 26.

Olive Press sources was due to turn he up, alongside business partners, former The election hopeful stated The case involves who did turn up. party would carry that a trio of investors, out a sweeping his who lost substantial view of how re- money Should amounts of the regional authorities Three Lions when the company pub have operate looking legged it 2017. folded in at ‘efficiency and ty.’

Three Lions equi- Kirby pub allegedly fled Spain’s quasi-federal HOW WE TOLD political system llowing the collapse,to Australia foIT: Our 2017 of ‘autonomous finally returreports ning to Alicante the constitution states’ was added to England.” last year.

“Darren has in 1978. Prime ter Pedro Sanchez, The Olive Press been sent Minisexclusively revealed former member the constitution, whose party drafted which he didn’t sign for, soa Burofax how CWM abruptly of staff. folded in 2017, “It was a prestigious plan, insisting strongly opposed the will now have to pursue himthe court losing hundreds place but one ways,” a source day they just in other vings of ‘tooth and nail’the PSOE would defend said. shut the door,” in the process. expats’ life sa- said, asking “A judge the principal of she nal self-government. not to be named.

The firm, which regio- it’s under is dealing with this Victims had was based and legal “We understand review,” he added. Marriott Hotel, in Denia, out of the asked to signraised fears about being to ten’ telesales had ‘eight blank dealing he is currently in ttered around staff and clients sca- tions and their pensions instrucvested in high-risk being inNO SHOW: Europe, revealed Darren Kirby assets which paid a large commissions. res. “It is a blank One pensioner cheque to invest ta Blanca told based on the Cos- wherever, whenever. lost €210,000 the Olive Press he “It is very worrying as €470,000 despiteafter transferring investing clients’ money they were risky investments in highly stating he had low to medium as well as dubious a funds just because they “I was asked, risk attitude. paid the hiblank form. We ‘Can you sign this gher commissions.”

He added that will fill in ls.’ I did that losses sustained trusting they the detai- investors should by in my best interests,” would act however, be verable as the recohe said.

“They should have been looking led to perform,investments that faifor me and they or went out their own nests.were just feathering linked to life insurance bust, were what they were To me they knew When the Olive Presspolicies. finally hold of Kirby Lawyer Antoniodoing.” in October 2017, got denied all responsibility.

Flores, whose he Lawbird is representing firm “I have lost a number my world,” he said. of victims, said See pages 26-29 ment sheets wassigning blank investAre you a victim “This negates ‘very worrying’. or former staff the very essence member? Do financial advisory you services,”said of the case? Contact know more about Tel. (+34) 96 649 Flo- newsdesk@theolivepress.es the Olive Press 18 29 at info@hispaniahomes.es www.hispaniahomes.co.uk

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

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Pension peril

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

It came after Carles Puigdemont handed himself Belgian police when a in to European arrest warrant was issued.

He and four other politicians are accused on charges of rebellion, sedition, misuse of public funds, disobedience and breach of trust.

A judge in Belgium now EXCLUSIVE up to two weeks to decidehas

By Joe Duggan if they will extradite the group to Spain.

BRITISH expats who lost up to €20 million in a failed Fight sion advisory firm believe pensignatures may have been their tocopied onto investment phoGiven the whole extradition documents. process can take up days, it means he mayto 60 Around 300 Brits, most living have in Spain, to run his entire election are battling to retrieve their funds after Alicante-based campaign for the Catalan firm Continental Wealth European Democratic ManParty agement from Belgium.

(CWM) folded tember, as first reportedin SepHis party wants him to in the fight Olive Press for continued leadership a month ago. the regional parliament of Boss Darren Kirby left for Austhe December 21 elections. in tralia following the closure the company’s main Javea of Puigdemont denied he offled to Brussels to avoid had fices. jus- Victims, tice but that he left because who are spread across Spain, the Spanish government was lorca, as well as in Ibiza, Malpreparing a ‘wave of oppresPortugal, France and Turkey, fear illegal practices sion and violence’ against after being asked to sign separatists. blank dealing instructions.

“I’m absolutely convinced Their pension pots were that the state was preparing invested in high-risk then a harsh wave of repression which promised to pay outassets for which we would have large been held responsible,” all commissions. he One 69-year-old said yesterday. pensioner told the Olive Press “The Spanish state is he lost com- €210,000 mitting a brutal repression… after transferring €470,000 despite stating if we don’t battle repression he had a together, the Spanish state to risk’‘low to medium aversion BOSS: Kirby now in may win this fight.” attitude to investment.

Australia “I was In a show of support to the blank asked, ‘Can you sign this he said. deposed president, around form. We will fill in the “They should have been looking details.’ I did Untitled-1.pdf 200 Catalan pro-indepenthat trusting they 1 16/06/2017 15:36 out for me would act in my best interests,” dence mayors travelled but they were to feathering their own nests.just Brussels on Tuesday to To stage a rally.

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

Casado insisted the move would Spain being administered see ‘more effectively’.

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A PALMA thief is facing months in jail for stealing18 a CY leg of ham.

Prosecutors are requesting CMY the lengthy term for the eight kilogram leg oftaking K co Jotas' ¡ jamon from 'Cina shop in the capital.

The Iberico ham is valued at €685, and has yet to be recovered.

FIND OUT WHY INSIDE

me they knew what they were doing.” rying’.

He added: “I believe some “This negates the very essence of the investments were of the service they are meant without my knowledge. made to offer,” said Flores. “It is a that is the case because I I think blank cheque to invest wherever, recall signing sheets for do not all the whenever. investments I had.”

“If standard practice, has gone down by half An email, seen by the this is very worrying. need compensation to and I Press, shows CWM asking Olive get it “Signing blank documents back on track. ent to sign and return a a cliblank would be seen “But some people dealing instruction. as irregular in a have lost everyAnother British expat, 55, who court of law. The thing and don’t is trying to recover problem have enough to €200,000, said some around with pensionthese firms is that live on. One reers ‘have lost everything’. they were all intired victim only “My paper work that PENSION vesting in highly has €50,000 left has been altered, my riskI sent level OUTRAGE risky investments from €480,000.” was changed from ‘medium’ to without the cliAndalucia-based ‘high’ and my dealing instrucents knowing.” lawyer Antonio tions have been photocopied He claimed that Flores, repeatedly for buying and whose selllosses sustained firm ing assets I didn’t authorise,” Lawbird by are investors he said. representwould hopefully ing some CWM “I still have some money be recoverable victims, said signing blank and I am still young enoughleft as the investments that vestment sheets was ‘very inget compensation, but my to worto perform, or went bust,failed fund were linked to life insurance policies.

Pension trustees Momentum and Trafalgar are now attempting to recoup CMW clients’ losses.

SPECIALIZING IN: The Olive Press has so far unable to discover if CWMbeen CRIMINAL LAW was registered to provide investment advice with Spain’s CIVIL LAW official financial regulator CNMV. BANKING (FLOOR CLAUSE)

FAMILY LAW

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They’ve been getting stoned for centuries.

Now UNESCO is interested in Mallorca walls.

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October

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

12th - October

26th 2017

SEE PAGE

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20

Expats lose millions in

life savings CONFUSION reigns over should foot through who failed hotels hit the bill for Mallorca by the collapse investment line Monarch. of airBalearic scheme €10millionhotels are facing lapse that bill over the col-a EXCLUSIVE repatriationsaw the emergency

By Joe Duggan back to the of over 110,000 UK, many Palma. from HUNDREDS Administrator of BritKPMG ish expats Olive Press ‘the debt told the to retrieve are battling Monarch to hoteliers owed by sions their penas an unsecured will rank after claim’ against £20 millionlosing up to the defunct in a failed “They will airline. pension have to file investment OFF the joint administrators scheme. a claim to TO OZ: the money Spanish-based for all and (above) Boss Kirby they are owed,” a spokesman. cial advisory team at finansaid “It has not firm Con- March charity bash tinental been determined (yet) how agement Wealth Man(CWM) folded Many available tomuch money will be last month of them creditors.”

SPECIALIZING IN: CRIMINAL LAW CIVIL LAW BANKING (FLOOR CLAUSE) FAMILY LAW

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whose boss Darren Kir- It is by has believed at moved tonow allegedly 300 of CWM’s least Australia. clients One Costa-del-Sol- pension have had 900 based expat their pots decitold the mated, Olive Press he sunk shocked with victims £59,000 through cover the to later dis- to end up CWM, only back value realising had lost he investments hadof their ain on benefits.”in Brit£39,000 his pension plum- “I have nothing when meted dramatically. praise for trustees However, sent a statement. but Tony Barnett a source [Trafalgar close to “I couldn’t the case MD] and sisted: ‘There have lost believe it. in- Stewart are still mentum Davies [Mopounds,” thousands ofI many customers chef revealed are happy victim, who tive]. They haveexecuasking to the pension with their magnificent main anonymous. been reing to recoup in tryA n d a l uportfolio.’

“The adviser cia-ba people’s ing me, ‘This kept tell- tax specialist s e d money.” is guaran- Brooks, teed, it can’t Angie The Olive go below pert on a leading ex- derstands Press uncertain level’.” a eration pension it is highly possible His money, obliterat- transferred schemes lib- may had legal action ing many Untitled-1.pdf their pri- others acrossand that of the founder and be taken vate 1 Brits’ life heartbroken 16/06/2017 of Pension UK Spain and Life, has by some parties against pensions France, savings. through15:36 the company, high-risk was put into a fight tonow launched CWM, help get investor ‘professional tims’ money vicback. has been only’ assets, it She is working claimed. side pension alongtrustees Trafalgar International and Momentum sions.

Pen- based out of headquarters in Alicante, “People are terribly executives. distressed,” and its based Brooks Granada- Both the told the and the office in Javea Olive Press. website lost large “They have recently shut. have amounts their retirement of When the Olive ings.”

Press sav- spoke to boss ‘definitively’ Kirby he She added: these people “Some of responsibility denied are going crash. “I over the world,” have lost my A closehe said. associate Kirby’s told of the Olive Press former staff were Find out more all ‘veryCWM set’. upon page XX “It is still 20 quite raw for them, Ave de Gabriel working and they are Roca 4, Palma next,” he out what to do said.

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NOTORIOUS: Disgraced businesswoman Jody Smart accused in financial scandal

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

PENSION OUTRAGE

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

Mariano Rajoy demanded clarify if he he had really independence declared following day’s nail biting address TuesCatalan parliament. to the If so, Rajoy trigger Articleinsisted he could 155 of Spain’s constitution take direct to allow Madrid to “There is control of Catalunya. put an end an urgent need to Catalunya to the situation that is going through - to

Page 6

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

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squatters over the last few weeks Kate Ferry, Altea

It’s unbelievable! In the UK, squatting private property like a house or flat, is a criminal offence and the police throw them out immediately! Why doesn’t Spain pass the same law of common sense? They have after all experience from the land grab era when they found ample laws to take back the properties of (in those cases) legal owners.

Paul Demopoulos, Mijas

Readers react to a bizarre zebra crossing found ‘in the middle of nowhere’ in rural Spain (Online, November 4) Ghostly gates

Driving around in Spain you often come across a pair of beautiful ornate gates that are attached to gate posts and nothing else. No walls or fence of any kind, just random gates, very strange.

Kim Baron, Chiclana

Use it or lose it

Maybe there was money that needed spending before the end of the tax year or it’s something to do with the budget for next year. A city in the UK spent £1.4 million on rebuilding an existing roundabout purely so it was allocated the same amount of money in its budget for the following tax year. Basically, use it or lose it.

I’m not sure if the authorities work the same way in Spain, but it could explain it.

Marie Troake, Jerez

Questions abound

Why aren’t crossings in towns as well lit as this one? Maybe this is a ‘weathering’ test?

Arthur Webster, Coin

Flood defence?

It’s a test for flooding. If it’s still there after heavy rain then there wasn’t any flooding. If it’s gone...

Barrie Hemley, London

We need zebras

My own mother was killed by a drunk driver, so crossings are important. But it does look very strange.

Angie Baker, Malaga

Law breaking for lavish lifestyle

Continues on Page 2

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SEE PAGE 20

whose boss Darren It is believed Kir- 300 at by has now allegedly of CWM’s least moved to Australia. clients have had 900 their One Costa-del-Sol- pension pots decibased expat told the mated, with victims Olive Press he sunk shocked to later dis- to end up back £59,000 through cover the value of their ain on benefits.”in BritCWM, only realising he investments had plum- “I have nothing but had lost £39,000 praise for Tony when meted dramatically. his pension Barnett trustees However, a source [Trafalgar MD] sent a statement. and close to the Stewart “I couldn’t believe sisted: ‘There case in- mentum Davies [Moare still chef execuhave lost thousandsit. I many customers who tive]. They have pounds,” revealed of are happy with their magnificent in been the pension victim, asking trying to recoup main anonymous.to re- A n d a l uportfolio.’ people’s c i a - b a s e d money.”

“The adviser tax specialist Angie The Olive Press uning me, ‘This iskept tell- Brooks, guarana leading ex- derstands it is highly teed, it can’t go below a pert on pension lib- possible legal action certain level’.” eration schemes and may be taken by some His money, the founder of Pension parties against CWM, others acrossand that of Life, has now launched and France, was Spain put into a fight to help get vichigh-risk ‘professional tims’ money back. investor only’ assets, She it side is working alonghas been claimed. pension trustees Trafalgar International and Momentum based out of headquarPen- ters sions. in Alicante, and “People are its terribly executives. distressed,” Both the office in Javea based Brooks Granadatold the and the website have Olive Press. “They recently shut. have When lost large amounts of spoke the Olive Press their retirement to boss Kirby he sav- ‘definitively’ ings.” denied She added: of responsibility over these people “Some are going crash. “I have lost the my world,” he said.

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

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

Ave de

three British claimants are seeking crimafter CWM’s September 2017 collapse inal charges for aggravated fraud, fake left him with just €22,000 from accounting and belonging to a criminal initial investments of more than ₤800,000 organisation.

The complaints concern bungled house (approx €900,000). transactions, unpaid loans and failed Davison was diagnosed with deprespension investments that lost the claim- sion just weeks after the collapse, before turning to alcohol abuse and developants over €1million between them.

One of the victims, Mark Davison, trag- ing type-2 diabetes, according to a video shot just before his death. ically died, aged 59, in July this year His body, covered with lesions sores, had lain undiscovered for upand a week in the mid-summer heat at to his home in Sanet.

“Mark died as a result of what had been In documents seen by the Olive done to him,” Timothy Benjamin, a Press, CWM was paid €3,391,873 of low claimant, told the Olive Press. felcommission for selling insurance “By the end he didn’t want the daylight bonds and investments by two Cyto appear.” prus-based financial firms, between Benjamin, 67, likewise felt ‘ashamed’ October 2015 and September after he lost his €250,000 private penA January 2019 statement 2017. from sion, reinvested by CWM into ‘risky’ Spain’s financial regulator revealed investments, via QROPS. insurance bonds were sold in In his official testimony he told breach of the law. the court how he had transferred ₤325,000 What is certain is that this (€375,000 approx) from a property funded a ‘lavish lifestyle’ for money sale to CWM on the basis the firm players Kirby and Smart, whoits key investing it in a villa in Monte Pego. was in a relationship together fromwere 2011 But court papers revealed ₤200,000 to March 2017, according to former went directly to the bank account staff members. of

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huge sums ‘without falling into losses’.

Worse, it comes as it emerges that dozens of victims left destitute and penniless by the Denia-based firm are suing Smart and her former partner Darren Kirby.

In the first case to reach the courts,

GUIDE

UK BASED PARTNERING OWNERS FOR OVER 20 YEARS

26th 2017

PENSION OUTRAGE

Expats lose millions in life savings

Wealth agement (CWM) Man- Many of them folded transferred had last month obliterattheir priUntitled-1.pdf vate ing many UK 1 16/06/2017 heartbroken pensions through15:36 Brits’ life savings. the company,

C

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CM

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Moriara•Calpe•Jalon•Javea•Denia•Altea

EXCLUSIVE

By Joshua Parfitt

7

EXCLUSIVE

SPECIALIZING IN: CRIMINAL LAW CIVIL LAW BANKING (FLOOR CLAUSE) FAMILY LAW

Petrol bombs and bullets, Director of disgraced Costa Blanca an Olive Press dispatch wealth management firm rakes in €1million from Barcelona Page 6 for her A WELL-KNOWN expat fashion signer has been accused of receivingdeup to €1million from an unlicensed Costa Blanca financial advisory company.

Companies in Jody Smart’s name were given the money by defunct Continental Wealth Management (CWM) in the two years’ before its high-profile collapse left hundreds of investors an estimated €20million out of pocket, it can be revealed.

A total of €999,435 was paid to her fashion label Jody Bell SL and property holding company Mercurio Conpro SL between 2015 and 2017, according to bank statements shown to the Olive Press.

Brit Jody, 43, was also paid a €144,000 salary - despite telling a court that she ‘did not know what it meant to be a sole director of company’ and was only involved in ‘marketing and PR’.

In a series of shocking declarations given to Denia’s Court of Instruction No.3 it has emerged that the company could ill afford to pay these

Carles

Confusion reigns SPAIN’S prime accused Catalan minister has leader Carles Puigdemont of causing ‘confusion’ after signing of independence. a declaration Mariano Rajoy demanded he clarify if he had really independence followingdeclared day’s nail biting address Tuesto the Catalan parliament.

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

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

Who’s paying us?

CONFUSION reigns through failed should foot the bill over who for Mallorca investment hotels hit by the collapse of airline Monarch. scheme Balearic hotels are facing a €10million bill over EXCLUSIVE the collapse that saw the

By Joe Duggan emergency repatriation of back to the UK,over 110,000 many from HUNDREDS Palma.

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

Continental

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

Malaga’s property bestmagazine

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Profits and losses

Rose Moore sees the EU, essentia with group watch rhoodIssue a neighbo I am from The pg 7).

325, and proud, hip (Leave dictators a marbell near ina Guadalm in rs neighbo 120 states, 28 sovereign reality is the opposite. There are 16, to thelybank, wayvoluntari g all (Laughinthe to become choseIssue which UK,the including pg 7). d. Steve Dunne believes that the UK would associate squat-to s with terrible haveonhad Webetter not going Not so. I’m terms. problem WTO fair beautithis invade to started have who ters and chapter weigh down your letters page by quoting three overinto takenlooks already havend ful area. the that Steve recomme but IThey verse, every six months houses ofwithin Trump That other knows. that he and any industry specifics another to getdeal EU-free UK should with anone. a trade to gettry tryingthey isweek for help. ask you I would Trump’s trade deals to know: youtowant you alllike tell with appoint had an that we as labels.

As well for speaks Mahlerment Brent Finally, US-first have l who Naciona Policia the of sioner commis the force armed EU an of wary citizens UK of a number that and well very they know thatcloser toldanusever , these are ideas However union.them and d. they are and not EU policy. I am specific people by organize floated help! 40-plus years of procan’t police But the insidious at the worried more by the Mail, Telegraph, EEC/EU the against paganda Sun. What did Express, Times and, of course, TheGuadal Stein, so anwhy he wasmina he was asked Murdoch say when Sabine of: “When I go into ti-EU? Something along the lines . You letter your for Ed.10Thank The to the EU.” I go Sabine when I say: what they doyou No. into ent! ations investig our seen have will appointm an for ask to had implication is that he

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When we first moved to Spain, approx 15 years ago, I remember these carousels at the Feria (The Elche Three, Issue 16, pg 30). I have a very vivid memory of a pony with a tiny foal trying desperately to keep up with her. I thought these had been banned as, thank goodness, I haven’t seen them at feria for over 10 years now.

Lorraine Tompsett, Alicante

Chocaholic Nothing like a bit of English choccy (Trick or Treat, Issue 16, pg 32).

Maureen Pearson, Granada

Double standards I am ashamed about how some Brits come to Spain and misbehave but there was an incident in Estepona port with 4 British men who were attacked by spanish (Online, October 22). The Brits were arrested. Luckily there was video and witnesses. One of the lads was beaten by a policeman. They were released but no apologies or arrest of said Spanish.

Sandra Russel, Estepona

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

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Powerless

ELECTRIC car sales may have gone into overdrive in Spain - the only trouble is finding somewhere to top them up.

In a shocking study - released in the run up to the international climate conference in Madrid next month - has found the country has among the fewest charging points in Europe.

There are just 2,900 public points in Spain, compared to 37,000 in the Netherlands, despite Spain being 12 times larger with more than double the population. Worse, some roads are without a single charging point for more than 150km, a study by the National Association of Car and Truck Manufacturers (Anfac) found. Vast areas of Spain remain without any charging points at all, as just under half (43%) of them are concentrated around Madrid and Barcelona. Germany has the second highest number of charging stations in Europe (27,000) followed by France (25,000) and the UK (20,000).

EXPATS and Spaniards came together as an estimated 55,000 people marched on Cartagena town hall to raise concerns about a lack of protection for the Mar Menor and its coastal towns.

The city saw coach loads of protestors descend from all over Spain to demand solutions to prevent further deaths and destruction from flooding.

Seven people died throughout the region, along with hundreds of animals, as homes and businesses were washed away and thousands were left with next to nothing in September.

But despite emergency funds provided by central government, the public are still dismayed at the perceived lack of action by local authorities.

Areas around Europe’s largest saltwater lagoon suffered badly with three million fish washing up on its beaches (see pic right) as the gota fria devastated the Costa Blanca South. One speaker, Maria Duenas, summed up frustrations as she said: “If any politician feels that he or she is not up to the task, let him

November 7th - November 20th 2019

Flooded in

Over 55,000 people - including hundreds of expats - march to protect the Mar Menor

By Simon Wade or her step aside and make way for someone who is determined to adopt urgent measures.”

The public bodies, responsible for maintaining rivers and waterways, also came in for criticism, for not foreseeing the crisis.

Murcia’s own Scientific Advisory Committee has been consulting dozens of experts since the flooding, as debate continues over the origins of the catastrophic pollution of the Mar Menor.

The World Wide Fund for Nature Conservation (WWF)

ANGRY: Expats joiu protests believes the disaster stemmed the area. from ‘unbridled agricultur- It comes a week after another al and urban development’ march ended outside Murcia which has taken place over the town hall. last few decades.

This march was attended by This week it was the turn of local British Los Urritias resident, fishermen, who protested out- Jo Scott, who shared a video side Murcia Town Hall yesterday. of some 5,000 furious camThe fishermen from the Guild paigners. Banners included a of San Pedro de Pinatar, who variety of slogans, including normally head out from Lo ‘Stop the Floods’, ‘We want to Pagan, have been unable to live without fear’ and ‘More fish since the floods destroyed Action, Fewer Committees’.

Sharing is caring

and Soria in the Guadarrama mountains, has been ruled the third least polluted in the world, according to the World Health Organisation. Village mayor, Jose Maria de Pablo, said the scheme would help AN ASIAN car giant is letting a Spanish village share locals, who number just over 70, to visit the nearest one of its newest electric models for free. pharmacy in a neighbouring town. “We have good Residents of remote Campisabalos will be able to air quality, precisely because there is nothing to do drive the Hyundai KONA Electronico for a year around here,” he added. through a mobile app.

The village’s inhabitants will be able to make journeys of up to 24 hours at a time and 170km in the vehicle, voted Spain’s ‘car of the year.’ The Korean company chose the Guadalajara province village for the initiative because it is the least polluted town in Spain. The stunning spot, that sits between Madrid

Jailbirds MORE than 80% of Spain’s egg-laying hens are still locked up in cages, new government data has revealed.

In total 30 million birds live in the ‘stressful’ and ‘overcrowded’ conditions provided by the ‘furnished cage system’.

The hens are in ‘constant stress’ and are forced to lay around 470 eggs in a 100-week period, according to El Pais.

Hens’ beaks are also allegedly trimmed, and the birds are kept without sunlight, each living in a space the size of an A4 piece of paper.

Spain houses 82% of its hens in these kinds of cages - the highest percentage across the European Union (EU), along with Portugal.

Cages

The EU average stands at just 52%, while other countries in the 28-member bloc, like Germany and the Netherlands have just 10% of their total eggs coming from furnished cages.

Despite the seemingly shocking statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, there is evidence that attitudes in Spain are changing.

Welfare-conscious egg production increased from 7% in 2016 to 17.6% in 2018, according to data from the Spanish Egg Producer Society (Aseprhu).

Furnished cages were originally designed to be an improvement on the ‘battery’ method of hen farming.

But, according to the RSPCA, the cages are still a problem, as hens’ natural behaviour is ‘not able to be expressed’.

When will we ever learn?

I’M sure many of you were shocked to read the last edition of The Olive Press, and the excellent front page story, continuing on page 2, on rogue financial advice right here on our doorstep.

I remember over four years ago a Continental Wealth Management (CWM) client coming to me with concerns over his portfolio.

At the time his CWN adviser was reassuring him that the losses they were seeing were not real losses, only ‘paper’ losses.

As someone with nearly two decades of investment experience, I immediately knew that was not the case and encouraged this client to close their portfolio and take the losses, rather than potentially lose all of their holdings.

I was fairly new to Spain at that point, having spent the last decade managing investment portfolios in the UK. I had moved to Spain for a somewhat slower pace to life and had taken training and exams in financial planning in addition to my investing experience. I very quickly realised that the practises used by financial advisers here in Spain were intended to profit the adviser, with very little thought for the client.

It was then that I started writing articles in various other English newspapers, which are read by tens of thousands of you each week. All I can say is

965 641 163

www.chorusfinancial.es info@chorusfinancial.es

By Sam Kelly, Managing Partner, Chorus Financial. that I wish I had a higher profile at the time. Prior to the collapse of CWM I managed to get around a dozen clients out of their plans, but simply could not get my message out to enough people to make a real difference in time.

Sadly, CWM were motivated by one thing: undisclosed commissions, which in their case ran to staggering amounts, as much as 20% per client.

They were using complex financial products that were not intended to be used by non-professional investors, and that were almost guaranteed to fail from the outset.

Rather than using diversified, regulated investment funds, that have hundreds, if not thousands of underlying assets, the entire risk of their client’s portfolios was dictated by the worst performing of just three or four assets.

What alarms me most is that, despite what happened to CWM and their victims, almost all the remaining financial advice companies here continued on a commission-based model, with commissions ranging from as much as 7-12%.

Companies who are happy to share their UK credentials and FCA regulation in their marketing continue to completely ignore the real FCA guidelines and rules, because the truth is,

Providing Multi-award winning advice for your pensions, investments & tax planning. once those companies operate outside Spain, none of the FCA rules on fees apply, and commissions become the driving force behind the recommendation.

If you are offered any kind of plan with a tie-in, whether it’s for a pension or Spanish compliant bond, then it is almost certain that a commission is being paid. It is essential that you are fully aware of the fees you are committing to and that your adviser is capable of building a high-quality, low fee, fully diversified investment portfolio.

I would always recommend getting a second opinion, as sadly we have seen hundreds of cases here in Spain where the financial adviser has been dishonest when it comes to disclosing all fees. Even those clients who think they’ve carried out the correct due diligence have found themselves tied into something potentially harmful.

If you have any concerns about a current or newly recommended investment or pension, please do not hesitate to contact me on 0034 664 398 702 or s.kelly@chorusfinancial.es. I am always happy to look over any recommendation without charge or obligation.

965 641 163

www.chorusfinancial.es | info@chorusfinancial.es Investment contracts are intended as medium to long term investments, and all investments have some level of risk. Figures in our articles are examples of what can be achieved and cannot be guaranteed; the value of your investments can go down as well as up. Fees and charges can vary and will be fully explained to you before any advice can take place. This article should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any particular product.

Chorus Financial is a trading style of Tourbillon Limited, authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Commission (Gibraltar), Licence Number FSC1118B, registered with the UK FCA reference 539348, registered with the Spanish DGS and CNMV Nº Registro Oficial 3214.

LA CULTURA

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Sharpen up

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Expert knife sharpener from London on why old steel implements should never be forgotten

EVENTS GUIDE Thursday, November 7

Exhibition of 18th century doll’s dresses.

Calpe Town Hall Exhibition Room From November 4 until end of month

Thursday, November 7

Candida Wright directs the bungled bank robbery and series of haphazard murder attempts from the critically-claimed Ladykillers play. For tickets email carelineboxoffice@gmail.com.

Careline Theatre, Alcalali 8pm, November 7-9

Thursday, November 7

Alfaz del Pi celebrates its annual Jubileo d l’Alfás in honour of the Santísimo Cristo relic that arrived in the Costa Blanca town in 1857.

Celebrations feature fancy dress parades, songs, petanque competitions, processions and more.

Alfaz del Pi November 7-10

Friday, November 8

Sunday, November 10

At 11am a minute’s silence for Remembrance Sunday, followed by The Last Post and The Rouse, will honour the servicemen and women who fought in the two world wars.

Mirador de Puig Llorenca, Cumbre del Sol 11am

Friday, November 15

Moonshine Duo Vic and Chloe bring you a mix of songs from all genres and eras adding an acoustic country feel.

Father Ted’s Bar, Moraira 8.00pm

Saturday, November 16

Friday, November 8

Sunday, November 17

First day of Ondara’s Fira de Fires festival, which will feature medieval markets, culinary delights and a range of fares and attractions.

Ondara November 9-24

knife and cut your thumb off.”

In his lengthy career, Franchi has brought Saville Row tailors, in London, to tears by

Moonlight Walk in aid of Cancer Care Javea’s Nursing Care & Advice Service, from the Arenal to Javea port and back. Entrance €3.

Start: The Parador Hotel, Javea 6.45pm

Christmas Fair raising money for HELP of DAMA, featuring a wonderful selection of cards, gifts, festive fare and christmas goodies.

Sol Park, Teulada-Moraira 11am-5pm

The 20th edition of the Primavera Weekender festival, featuring Belle and Sebastian, Primal Scream, Mura Masa, Sleaford Mods and many more.

Magic Robin Hood Camp, Benidorm November 8-9

WHAT do Harrods, Great Ormond Street Hospital and Marylebone Police Station have in common?

They’ve all had their knives sharpened by expert craftsman Marino Franchi.

The 55-year-old (above right), now based in Javea, was taught the elite craft from age of three by his Italian grandfather and is now reigniting the family business.

“No machine can do what I can do,” Franchi, from London, told the Olive Press.

“I look at a knife and I know exactly how the chef’s handled it and how to sharpen it for him.

“It’s a lost art now, nobody thinks about getting their tools sharpened.

“But it’s far safer to have a fresh blade that might give you a small nick than force a blunt

Tuesday, November 12

AJ Swing, a one man tribute to the Legends of Swing, and much more.

Father Ted’s Bar, Moraira 8.00pm

Saturday, November 9

11

November 7th - November 20th 2019

The talented John the Fiddler performing folk melodies.

HIll Top Gastro Pub, Moraira 3pm

Wednesday, November 20

The Clean-up Montgo day aimed at clearing waste from the mountain, organised by the Montgo Residents Association.

Contact Mark at montgoresidentscleanup@ gmail.com for information.

Want your event to feature in the Olive Press?

Email us now at newsdesk@theolivepress.es

The fires are lit!

MEDIEVAL markets, mouth-watering cuisine and fine wines - there’s nothing quite like a Spanish fiesta.

While the summer festivals are now a boozy memory, Ondara will this month herald the arrival of the Christmas festive season with the iconic Fira de Fires.

This year’s theme harks back to 1690 when the famous festival began, and the attractions filling every weekend of November will offer something for everyone.

The first weekend, November 9 to 10, revolves around the theme of the ‘five senses’ - in particular ‘touch’ - and will feature a market of artisans demonstrating crafts such as esparto-grass weaving and dry-stone walling.

The second weekend, November 16 to 17, will see the much-loved Medieval Market descend on the Marina Alta town, including fine fare and fun attractions for all ages.

There will even be a cruelty-free Animal Fair at the Plaza de Toros.

A separate market will feature stalls run by local businesses and associations serving up their unique products and services.

The final weekend, November 23 to 24, will bring concerts and a classic car show.

resurrecting their well-worn scissors.

But he insists the pleasure of sharpened steel exists for everyone.

“There’s nothing like the romance of me bringing your grandfather’s rusty old shears back from the shed to something that can be a tool of wonder,” Franchi says.

“Or chatting to your loved ones at a dinner party while effortlessly slicing your sole off the bone."

Fierce

Franchi’s methods mirror those of his grandfather when Giacamo Collini (pic above) started trading in 1925 - using a whetstone that rotates at 1,500rpm.

The passionate craftsman says however he is likely one of Europe’s ‘last knife sharpeners’ operating at the high standard drilled into him by his grandfather.

“My grandfather was a fierce tutor, but a loving grandfather,” says Franchi, who was made to work ‘until his hands bled’ while school friends were out enjoying summer holidays.

“But every time I sit down at the whetstone I feel him smiling at me and I know I'm doing something good.”

Franchi can resurrect everything from scissors to knives to garden tools, giving them a lease of life for decades to come.

12

November 7th - November 20th 2019

The wait is over A FOUR-day Christian festival has returned to Alfaz del Pi after a 162-year wait.

Fiestas del Jubileo y del Santísimo Cristo del Buen Acierto was last celebrated in 1857, but is back from November 7 to 10.

A street procession kicks off the events, before Mass, a fancy dress parade, DJ set, live music and theatre and traditional flower offerings.

There is plenty on offer for little ones, including bouncy castles, while there will also be bull running, fireworks and poetry.

After a lengthy absence, one of the most elaborate Hebrew bibles will return to Spain, for an upcoming exhibiton ONE of the world’s most ornate and expensive Hebrew bibles is to returned to its birthplace in Spain from the UK. The 500-year-old Kennicott Bible will be displayed in Santiago de Compostela, the Galician government has announced.

Many Jews who fled during the Spanish Inquisition smuggled out many books and artifacts out with them that would have otherwise been destroyed.

The Kennicott Bible was written by Moises Ibn Zabara and illustrated by Joseph Ibn Hayyim for influential Jewish businessman Isaac di Braga.

It is named after Benjamin Kennicott, a scholar whose work led to the book being stored at Oxford University.

The prestigious establish-

LARepublican CULTURA monument vandalised

Do you have a what’s on?

Send your informa newsdesk@theolive tion to press.es

A MEMORIAL to dead republican soldiers has been vandalised in Andalucia, a day after ex-dictator Franco was exhumed.

The monument stands in the cemetery of San Eufrasio in Jaen, where hundreds of republican soldiers are buried.

Caretakers who look after the cemetery found that the names of victims engraved on the monument had been covered with

red graffiti reading: ‘We win, we will win.’

The local council criticised the vandalism, calling it ‘absolutely reprehensible’.

The cemetery is listed as an asset of cultural interest (BIC).

Council workers quickly washed the writing off the monument with high pressure waterjets. The memorial, which also bore signs of heavy blows, will be repaired in due course.

Back from the grave Best for ment, which owns the copy, has only agreed to lend the Bible to the Museo Centro Gaias in Santiago for the exhibition - Galicia, a Story of the World.

Roman Rodriguez, minister for culture and tourism in the Galicia government, said: “The Kennicott is one of the world’s great Bibles and it has a dual value: a technical one because of its spectacular artistry, but also a symbolic one.

“It shows how, at one time, people of three religions – Jews, Muslims and Catholics – coexisted in Spain.

“It also shows how at one time there was a strong cultural and economic Jewish presence in Galicia, but it was forced out – as Jews were from the rest of Spain.”

Very appt

A NEW app has been launched that lets people listen to the stories of women locked up under Franco.

Created by Madrid artist Toxic Lesbian and the Institute of History, the interactive app lets users listen to the stories of women interned in mental homes. Users can even take a selfie with the

Banderas

The Kennicott Bible is worth millions and its pages teem with mythical beings and animals, while others feature geometric patterns. Its completion took 10 months and was finished in 1476.

women from the various sites, including Madrid’s ‘House of the Demented’, Santa Isabel.

The women’s stories were gathered from the book Letters from the Asylum published last year, which details patients’ experiences from 1852 to 1952.

Toxic Lesbian said: “Patients with mental health problems have been marginalized and remain so.

Here they are empowering themselves with their own experiences.”

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MALAGA-born actor Antonio Banderas has won the best actor gong at the Hollywood Film Awards.

The 59-year-old was recognised for his starring role as a declining film director in Spanish drama Pain and Glory.

Banderas plays an ill film director retracing his major life events through a series of flashbacks in the Oscar-nominated movie, directed by the ‘grandfather of Spanish cinema’, Pedro Almodovar.

The celebrated actor picked up the award from actress Dakota Johnson, daughter of his ex-wife Melanie Griffith.

The 23rd edition of the Hollywood Film Awards was held at the five-star, luxury Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.

LA CULTURA

13

To be or not to be November 7th - November 20th 2019

From Springsteen to Shakespeare, the surprising passions of the Spanish political leaders vying for your vote

SPAIN goes to the polls on November 10 for yet another General Election. But in a break from politics - who hasn’t had enough of the Brexit shambles in the UK after all - we checked out the main Spanish candidates’ cultural credentials to see what makes them tick. No one makes model buses like Boris Johnston but from secret Springsteen fans to Game of Thrones addicts, their passions may surprise you.

Pablo Iglesias

His education might have put him on a different side of the camera as the Podemos leader studied television at the Metropolis Professional School of Audiovisual Arts, short films at the Carlos III University School of Arts and speech and programme presentation at the RTVE. Wow! He was also the founder of the political theatre company Antigona and has acted in some of their works.

Given his studies, it’s no wonder that TV hit Game of Thrones is a firm favourite in his casa. When not checking out the machinations of the Lannisters and Targeryens, he listens to godmother of soul, Aretha Franklin. He has also confessed to buying some of his clothes at discount hypermarket Alcampo.

Alberto Rivera

Books and films take up much of Snr Rivera’s time away from the political arena.

His favourite read is The Human Factor by John Carlin which tells the story of how Nelson Mandela challenged apartheid in South Africa. It was also the basis of the film Invictus starring Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon, which focused on how Mandela’s work brought a nation together to see the Springboks triumph in the 1995 Rugby World Cup final.

Rivera’s favourite literary quote is from French writer Victor Hugo: “There is nothing more powerful than an idea that has reached its time.”

No doubt he will be putting some of those ideas forward during the campaign.

Santiago Abascal

Passions of a different nature float the VOX leader’s boat. He is a true nature boy, enjoying hiking and mountaineering, and is a member of the Spanish Ornithological Society.

Photography is a passion and friends say he has a talent for photographing wild animals and birds. He must also be a very patient man as another hobby is growing and trimming Bonsai trees - not the easiest of horticultural species to cultivate.

Pedro Sanchez

Alongside officiating at friends weddings, where he reads poems he has personally chosen for the happy couples, the currentPrime Minister has a wide range of interests. Speaking fluent English, he cites Shakespeare as one of his favourite playwrights. That’s in complete contrast to his musical choice as you’re likely to find indie bands Arcade Fire and Muse along with rocker Bruce Springsteen on the PM’s Ipod playlist.

Spanish cinema is high on his list of ways to relax, as is chilling in front of the television. But even in his own living room Snr Sanchez is never far away from politics, with The West Wing and Game of Thrones among his favourite shows.

Let’s hope he is not getting too many ideas from either of these cutthroat epics.

Pablo Casado

Less is known about PP leader Casados’s cultural leanings, but he confesses to being a keen chef. And apparently he is quite talented - although he admits he could never better his wife Isabel’s signature squid dish. Looking after himself, staying fit and eating healthily are his favourite things.

Unsurprisingly his dishes are Med-based and include heaps of local fresh fish.

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November 7th - November 20th 2019

Star in the east FOREIGN buyers are most in love with Alicante. An astonishing 41.81% of homes sold in the province were snapped up by foreigners, in the second quarter of 2019.

It was followed, at some distance, by the Canary Islands where 28.91% of homes were bought by expats, Malaga (27.9%) and the Balearics (27.49%).

The north west of Spain was the least popular area for foreign buyers. In all four provinces within the Galicia region, buyers from abroad accounted for less than 1% of property purchases.

Service you deserve People you can trust

PROPERTY

Mortgage crash

Number of new mortgages plunges in third quarter due to new law THE number of new mortgages registered in Spain has taken a dramatic nosedive compared with the previous year.

This August there was a 29.9% decrease on the same month in 2018.

The data released by the National Statistics Institute (INE) reveal that the uptake

in mortgages for the eighth month of the year was also the worst since 2015.

In total 20,385 new mortgages have made it onto the Land Registry in 2019 so far.

Of Spain’s 17 autonomous communities, La Rioja experienced the most negative mortgage drop off, with a decrease of -61.5%.

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A HOUSE with allegedly Spain’s largest garden has gone up for sale.

The €4 million mansion in Asturias has 10 hectares of parks and gardens, the same size as London’s O2 arena.

The house and its gardens were the labour of love of Jose Rivera de Larraya, founder of Spanish food company Panrico. The entrepreneur created his own green belt by buying up 58 connected farms over the years.

Known locally as Panrico Gardens, the estate includes its own botanical gardens, lake and ornate fountains. Prospective buyers must be happy sharing as the 10-bedroom house’s gardens are currently open to the public.

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The regions with the next largest slumps were Extremadura (-53.8%), Navarra (-52.9%), the Canary Islands (-49.7%), Balearic Islands (-42.5%), Madrid (-37.6%) and Andalucia (-34.4%).

The poor mortgage data has been blamed on Spain’s new property law, which was implemented this summer.

Article 20 of the Real Estate Credit Act was enacted by the Spanish Government in June, and according to the INE, ‘could have affected data published in August’.

Expats

The new law makes it more difficult for expats seeking a mortgage if they are not in the eurozone, specifically, if they derive their incomes in a currency other than the euro.

This is because the borrower has the right to convert the mortgage into their own currency, under certain circumstances, at a later date.

This means that some banks are only lending to euro earners and others are reducing their loan-to-values for British clients, in particular.

BUSINESS

A little help!

15

November 7th - November 20th 2019

IT’S not every day you can walk into a Tesco’s in… southern Spain.

Well, now you can grab a massive range of the UK supermarket’s products with the exciting new launch of the Food Co. store in Murcia.

The huge shop, in Puerto de Mazarron, is the largest British-style supermarket in the province.

In a deal with the UK giant, Tesco-branded products have, at last, made it to the Costas.

Tesco ready-made curries, bargain packs of tea and, naturally, sour cream and turkey stuffing were well received by the hundreds of shoppers who made it to the launch this week.

There are 7,500 lines on offer, including many from Tesco’s ‘Finest’ range.

These include plenty of cheeses, hams and beers.

Open from Monday to Saturday from 9am to 9pm, more Food Co. stores are set to open around Spain next year.

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BREXIT has made a dent in the profits of Spanish bank Santander.

The Spanish bank recorded a 35% drop in its net profits during the first nine months of the year, after its British subsidiary’s profits fell 19%.

Spain’s largest bank recorded a net profit of €3,732 million between January and September, while its British arm earned €828 million.

Difficulties in the UK were offset by a 19% increase in profits in Brazil, where the Spanish bank earned €2,249 million. The bank’s Brazillian arm remains its most profitable subsidiary.

Profit drop Spain’s biggest bank’s profits drop in first nine months of the year as Brexit bites into British arm’s profits.

The company’s American division witnessed the biggest leap in profits, seeing them rise to €619 million, an increase of 27%.

Profits were also up signifi-

cantly in Mexico, which saw a 14% rise to €659 million and in Portugal where profits surged 12% to €385 million.

The company’s Spanish

Shelf stacking graduates ONE in three workers in Spain are stuck in a job unsuited to their level of education.

A new study by the EU found that 36.3% of workers are working in roles below their level of education.

The findings back up research by temping agency organisation, Asempleo, which found that 41% of women across Spain were overqualified for their jobs.

The EU study also found that better than

average job growth in the Canary Islands, Murcia and Valencia has led to more people working in jobs they're overqualified for.

People in the north of Spain are more likely to be working in jobs mismatched to their level of education than workers in the south.

It is thought this is because more skilled workers are attracted to cities in the north, where there is a higher concentration of highskilled sectors.

wing remains its second most profitable division, seeing profits rise by 3% to €1.185 million.

Ana Botin, the group’s president, said that the company had maintained ‘good trends’ despite a difficult business environment.

She said: “We have achieved the figures thanks to the strength of our business model and our new regional organization structure announced in April.”

Botin added that diversifying into both European and American markets had helped Santander distinguish itself from competitors.

The bank has added six million customers in the last twelve months and already serves 144 million people worldwide.

Wheel good advice TM

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* Fu l l y co m p re h e n s i ve o f fe r va l i d fo r n e w c u s to m e r s o n l y. G u a ra nte e s u b j e c t to cove r, re p a i r at a p p rove d g a ra g e, a n d co u r te s y ve h i c l e ava i l a b i l i t y. S u b j e c t to co n d i t i o n s. O f fe r e n d s 3 0 / 1 1 / 1 8 .

Property damage to your bike It’s autumn and the Spanish open roads beckon. Whether you ride a motorcycle, moped or motorized bike, there is nothing like letting your bike take you where you want to go. But before you suit up and head out, check that your motorcycle insurance includes standard coverage items such as property damage to the bike.

Bike insurance policies from Línea Directa include total theft by third parties and any damage in the event of an accident resulting from a collision or impact.

Compensation If the repair estimate exceeds 100% of the bike’s market value, then it will be considered a total write-off. In this case, compensation is calculated according to the bike’s age; during the first 12 months: value as new, from month 13 onwards: market value. Damage to the tyres are also covered, with 80% of their value as new if no liable third party vehicle is identified, and 100% if the other vehicle is identified.

Standard equipment is also covered and compensated at replacement value. Repair costs, following an accident, are also covered 100% pro-

viding the insured submits the relevant invoices.

2/8/18 17:01

Ways to save money on your bike insurance Línea Directa recommends you shop around not only to find the best price but also the best coverage, by comparing detailed quotes. Don’t cancel your policy in the winter because you won’t save on premiums, and with many fair weather riding days throughout the year, you won’t be insured if you want to go for a ride. Keep a clean record to help keep your premiums as low as possible. Always secure your bike in a locked facility and install an anti-theft device.

Tips for safe, claims-free biking Before each ride, check your bike’s tyres, brakes and oil and petrol levels.

Wear an approved helmet and if it has been involved in an accident then buy a new one.

Wear a jacket, pants, gloves and riding boots, fluorescent or reflective materials will make you more visible to other road users especially at night.

Remain alert at all times, especially at intersections and blind corners. Always respect speed limits and adjust your riding to the road and surface conditions.

We hope the information provided in this article is of interest. If you would like to contact Linea Directa please call 952 147 834. More information about Linea Directa online at www.lineadirecta.com

Is DIY Expat Financial Planning a Good Idea?

In recent years it has become something of a trend for the masses to distrust experts. Instead, many of us decide to go it alone when tackling life’s challenges because we all know Google can diagnose health symptoms and watching a short YouTube video can help you install a new shower!

But if you are considering your wealth management and retirement planning journey and are having reservations about hiring a professional to help you plan and manage your money, is this a sensible approach? What is involved in DIY expat financial planning and is it going to fit in with your expat lifestyle in Spain?

BY Christina Brady

1

. You should love the investment process and be so passionate about investing strategies that financial pursuits already take up a large part of your leisure time. If your bedside reading consists of books on economic theory, if you enjoy an extended breakfast with the Financial Times and you consider attending an investing seminar to be a reAre you cut out for DIY wealth management? laxing break, you might just be suited to managing When it comes to financial planning, a ‘do-it-your- your own wealth. self’ approach brings with it a great many ongoing responsibilities. To fulfill the required tasks you will . Another important qualifier for the DIY expat need to ensure that you not only have the necesfinancial planner is the ability to comfortably sary knowledge, expertise and practical skills but make decisions about your financial future. This also the time, organisation and emotional resil- means that you must not feel overwhelmed by the ience which are integral to the investment process. process and the high stakes and that this responsibility does not cause you to lose sleep at night.

There are five key criteria essential to DIY financial . You will need to be time-rich and prefer to planning: spend time reviewing your portfolios rather than playing golf or hanging out with grandchildren.

It sounds harsh, but it’s true. Good investment decisions require research, planning and accuracy.

2

3

4

. You will need to be able to withstand market volatility without making rash decisions. Investment portfolios inevitably lose and gain value during times of economic instability and you must be able to withstand ups and downs in the value of your assets and investments without making knee jerk trades or heat-chasing purchases.

5

. Can you keep your eyes on the long-game? It is easy for the self-investor to dip into their savings accounts, pensions and other assets without fully appreciating how this might affect future returns.

Budgeting and time-horizon planning are key in this respect.

Only if the above describes you to a tee would you be a likely candidate for DIY financial planning.

Robo-advisers – Are they a good compromise?

Robo-advisers might seem like the perfect halfway point between DIY investment and working with a human financial adviser. However, in reality most investment platforms are little more than glorified algorithms that take some account of your risk tolerance and goals, following a short questionnaire, before grafting your funds into a pre-constructed portfolio.

They are not personalised, cannot talk to you, cannot listen to you, and cannot help you stay disciplined during times of volatility. In contrast, a professional financial adviser will develop a relationship with you and will integrate your finances, tax considerations and estate plans while also taking account of all the unique cross-border concerns that go hand-in-hand with being an expat living in Spain.

Lastly, a robo-adviser cannot know – or care – if you are having health issues, have a grandchild with special educational needs or are wondering about the financial implications of a divorce; a human adviser can make an invaluable difference at the times when you need expert, bespoke advice the most.

Tried and tested expertise to advance your interests Blacktower Financial Management has more than three decades of experience advancing the financial interests of our clients. We can help you weath-

www.theblacktowergroup.com er the financial uncertainties and ramifications of challenging times – such as Brexit – so that you can be secure in the knowledge that your money will continue to work for you.

We believe that attempting to negotiate Brexit is likely to present too many challenges for the expat in Spain – both emotionally and practically – for DIY money management to be a prudent option.

The expat financial advice sector remains integral to helping British people abroad reach their retirement investment goals, particularly in Spain, where a climate of innovation and opportunity has created real excitement and momentum.

Blacktower will be by your side both now and in the future, we are here to help you. To arrange a professional and impartial consultation please contact me info@blacktowerfm. com or call +34 952 816 443. Website: www. blacktowerfm.com. The above information was correct at the time of preparation and does not constitute investment advice and you should seek advice from a professional adviser before embarking on any financial planning activity.

Blacktower Financial Management Ltd is authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority and is registered with both the DGS and CNMV. Blacktower Financial Management (Int) Ltd is licensed in Gibraltar by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) and is registered with both the DGS and CNMV in Spain

16

November 7th - November 20th 2019

M

Y journey to enlightenment began when I was a young city boy in the 90’s in London and an enlightened friend told me he was going to invest responsibly.

The returns were less than other funds, but you felt better knowing that while you were making money, it wasn’t at the expense of the planet or someone else’s freedom or health.

It didn’t make sense to me at the time. But, thankfully, I am now a more rounded human being (literally) and appreciate that investing in companies that don’t contribute to misery and death can have a positive impact on your wellbeing as well as your profitability. Kind of like wearing a pinstripe suit, but with Birkenstocks and a friendship bracelet.

Sustainable or responsible investment is described by the UN as ‘based on a set of six principles that provide a global standard for responsible investing relating to environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) factors. Organizations follow these principles to meet commitments to beneficiaries while aligning investment activities with the broader interests of society.’

What it boils down to is that the company, fund or stock you invest in has a set of rules to abide by which are fair and do not damage either individuals or the planet.

It’s certainly not a new concept... Sharia law forbids investing in banks and the Methodists promoted not-profiting from your neighbours.

It wasn’t however until the 60’s and 70’s, in fact, that people started to invest in communities and schemes that promoted environmentalism and avoided tobacco and firearms.

BUSINESS

IN THE KNOW: Nik Rainer

Investing in the planet

nik.rainer@binckbank.com, or by phone +34 951 56 56 56.

BinckBank is part of the Saxo Bank. Trading in financial products always involves a risk.

The value of your investment may go down as well as up.

As a general rule, you should therefore only trade in financial products if you understand the products and the risks associated with them.

What is sustainable investing? It is not just about lentils and furry animals, as Nik Rainer at BinckBank explains

It was in 1990 that the first SRI mutual funds arrived and an index was created to measure performance.

It’s not just about the little furry animals and eating lentils either, you can make good returns Research by Morgan Stanley has shown that sustainable investment funds perform the same or better than traditional funds. However, it’s not a guarantee for the future. Of course, you may want to invest in sustainable investments for reasons other than your return.

Research within our customer base indicates that more and more of our clients are investing in sustainable funds and shares. Investing in renewable energy is the first choice, with water and the environment just behind.

OK, so you have decided that

you want to invest for the future of the planet and make a difference? If you want to invest sustainably you can purchase ETFs or other instruments with our Saxo Investor and TraderGO Platforms directly yourself.

At BinckBank we do not provide individual investment advice so you don’t pay for advice. You invest directly via our trading platforms that provide you with access to 36 global markets and 40,000 plus instruments such as shares, bonds, ETF’s

CFD’s, FOREX, Options and Futures.

We do however, have our doors open for you to visit us and discuss how you might develop your own investment strategy.

Alternatively if you would prefer to have your money managed on your behalf you can also invest in one of our managed portfolios. The Saxo Bank and Brown Advisory have collaborated to offer a portfolio of ethical stocks to our clients via SaxoSelect within our platform.

Nik Rainer Nik joined BinckBank in 2016 as part of the team responsible for rolling out the Saxo Bank international service. Nik has held positions at various banking institutions such as Hambros Merchant Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and Morgan Stanley and brings his solid financial background to the role.

You can come by our office in Marbella and discuss your investments over a cup of coffee anytime at or contact me at

Trading in financial products always involves a risk. The value of your investment may go down as well as up.

As a general rule, you should Thinking green therefore only trade in finanHow sustainable are underwe at cial products if you BinckBank, now partand of Saxo stand the products the Bank? risks associated with them.

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About BinckBank BinckBank is part of the Saxo Bank Group since August 2019.

Copenhagen-based, Saxo Bank is a leading Fintech specialist focused on multi-asset trading and investment and delivering ‘Banking-as-a-Service’ to wholesale clients. Both companies originate from the first generation of internet start-ups and have grown to leading companies in Trading and Investing with a clear mission of democratising investment and trading for everyone.

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FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

SPAIN has some of the world’s best restaurants, but not a single one of them is in the south. Three Spanish restaurants made it into the top 15 in Trip Advisor’s annual Travelers’ Choice Restaurants Awards 2019.

El Celler de Can Roca in Catalunya is the best Spanish restaurant, according to Trip Advisor. The restaurant in Girona, which has three Michelin stars, was voted the eighth best in the world by travellers.

Restaurante Martin Berasategui near San Sebastian was voted the eleventh best eatery worldwide, making it the second best in Spain.

Roca-fellas Spanish restaurants are the flavour of the world according to Trip Advisor, but there is a north-south culinary divide

Barcelona’s Disfrutar was voted thirteenth best globally. It means the ultra modern restaurant is the third best eatery in Spain.

Voters snubbed Andalucian and Alicante restaurants,

Turn on the Tapas IT’S a luxury to have a Creative City of Gastronomy right on your doorstep.

And a downright steal to sample the best of it for just €3.

Foodies mustn’t miss UNESCO-rated Denia’s 15th Ruta de Tapas, where 40 restaurants are offering their most stunning tapa at that amazing price, with a drink included.

The annual event began on October 24 and will run every day until November 17.

Visitors can collect their culinary ‘passports’ from Denia’s

Eat that

Tourist Office or download the ‘Rutappa’ app before arrival.

Highlights include octopus in all-i-pebre with parsnip puré and crisped celeriac at Bodega Casa Benjamin - the oldest tavern in Denia.

Equally mouth-watering is the aubergine cannoli filled with smoke cod on a bed of sweet-and-sour sauce and mango pearls at the Jamonal de Ramonet.

Meanwhile for the seafood lovers, La Xerna del Mar is offering turbot and white prawns with aubergine on top of toasted seaweed.

Or for those with an international palette, La Sabrosa Taquería is offering a crunchy taco with guacamole, cactus ice cream and lime - accompanied by vermouth or wine.

Participants who fill up their passports with at least 15 tapas may enter a lottery with prizes including a free meal for two at the best-rated Ruta de Tapas restaurant, as well as a night at the Les Rotes hotel.

DENIA’S foodies are being spoilt with TWO culinary festivals in the same month.

The Mes de la Cuchara follows closely after the Ruta de Tapas, and allows foodies the chance to savour mouth-watering meals for just €3 in a raft of top restaurants.

The special offers began on November 4 and last until December 8, with the restaurants offering the knock-off deal rotating each day.

For example, on Mondays, diners can enjoy cheek stew with potatoes ‘a la pobre’ at Don Jamon or ‘arroz banda’ rice cooked in fish stock at Txokobar.

Meanwhile on Wednesday, visitors can find a ‘arroz meloso’ with local crab at Rincon de Montava or a delicious chickpea stew with spinach and dotted with cod.

Full information of restaurants and contact details can be found at saboreadenia.com.

with not a single one of them making it into the top rankings of best Spanish restaurants. Catalunya has the best chefs in Spain, with four restaurants located in the region making the top 10 list of best restaurants nationwide.

And unsurprisingly the Catalan capital is the undisputed culinary capital of the country, with three of these four restaurants being situated in Barcelona.Lounge bar cum restaurant Acces and Con Gracia, which specialises in contemporary updates of Cat-

Gain from rain

alan classics, were the Barcelona names joining Disfruta in the top 10. A total of 584 restaurants worldwide gained a place in the 2019 edition of the culinary rankings.

Trip Advisor said the chosen restaurants had ‘consistently received high marks and praise from diners around the world.’

17

November 7th - November 20th 2019

Cereal killer ALMOST two thirds of breakfast cereals sold in Spain contain so much sugar they shouldn’t be consumed by children.

A shocking 63% of branded cereals exceed the EU’s recommended limit of 15g of sugar per 100g for children, a study by the European Commission has found.

Some cereals had as much as 45g of sugar per 100g.

It means that a 30g recommended serving would contain 13.5g of sugar, over half of the 24g of sugar that children should consume each day.

A quarter of cereals studied were found to contain excess salt and another 44% contained too little fibre.

CAMPERS can now buy insurance against the infamous rain in Spain.

The innovative insurance allows punters to cancel their holiday 72 hours in advance – if it is expected to rain – and receive compensation.

The scheme is only available through Campings.com, which has teamed up with fintech startup Setoo for the original insurance.

“The weather is an especially important consideration for campers, who are more exposed to the elements than other holidaymakers,” said Jerome Mercier, chief executive of Campings.com.

A rain insurance policy costs between 3% to 8% of the booking price, with the average cost being €15 per week.

The insurance is available to customers for holidays in France, Italy and Spain.

Setoo can also compensate customers who have booked a skiing holiday if there is no snow where they are about to travel.

Date with destiny THE first bunch of dates has been ceremoniously cut from a date palm tree in Elche.

Dozens of people, including the Greek consul, joined town hall bosses in La Hoya to witness the historic event, organised by the agricultural collective Dateelx.

The municipality’s date palms, which are a UNESCO World Heritage site date back to the fifth century BC, when they are believed to have been planted by the Carthaginians.

Those gathered at the cutting were treated to a lunch, which used local dates as the star ingredient.

Vegan Spain no bull!

SPAIN might be famous for cured meats and seafood dishes, but it seems Spaniards are increasingly opting to go meat free.

Online food order company Deliveroo has reported a 134% increase in people within Spain ordering vegan options.

The rise is being driven by people living in Spain’s biggest cities.

Barcelona residents buy the most meat and dairy free dishes, followed by people in Madrid and Valencia.

Deliveroo already has over 30 restaurants on the app which specialise in vegan food. The most popular is Teresa’s in Barcelona, followed by Fit Kitchen and La Trocadero both also in the Catalan capital.

Teresa’s roasted carrot and avocado salad is Deliveroo customers’ favourite dish.

18

November 7th - November 20th 2019

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

Birds of aF feather From mass migrations heading south to Africa, to the more stay-at-home varieties, Autumn is the season to pick up your binoculars and be dazzled by Spain’s celebrated birds

OR seasoned ornithologists and amateur birdwatchers alike, Spain is the perfect place to seek out some spectacular avian species.

The country is home to hundreds of varieties

Glossy ibis

Blue chaffinch Found only on two of Spain’s Canary Islands, the blue chaffinch resides in the towering pines of the islands’ coniferous forests.

The male sports bright blue plumage, while the female has less flashy grey feathers. Blue chaffinches don’t migrate and are not threatened, so they can be spotted on Tenerife all year long.

Little bustard

This handsome green-and-brown water bird is Europe’s sole species of ibis, and though its numbers are declining across the continent, it has a breeding colony firmly established in southern Spain. Its iridescent feathers and gracefully curving neck and bill make it a star attraction of marshlands across Andalucia. If you want a look at this waterfowl, keep in mind that the glossy ibis, like most of the region’s migratory birds, will only stick around for a few more weeks before heading to sunny Africa for the winter.

Chances are you’ll need a pair of binoculars or especially sharp eyesight to spot this bird, as its golden-brown plumage is the perfect camouflage in its grassland habitat. If you do manage to find one, look for black-andwhite bands on its neck, which will mark it as a mature male (females sport more drab colouring). Don’t expect to see the little bustard in flight; this bird generally sticks to the ground. Even when frightened, it rarely takes to the air.

Red-knobbed coot From a distance, this freshwater bird, native to Africa and southern Spain, can be identified by its black plumage and the white shield on its face. If you get a closer look, you might notice the bird’s eponymous pair of red berry-like knobs crowning its head, along with a rather beady pair of red eyes. Tread with caution, however, as this waterfowl is fiercely territorial and known to be aggressive even towards its own young.

of feathered friends, from kites and kestrels to bitterns and bustards, and many of them are found nowhere else on earth. These 13 high-flying highlights have got birdwatchers going wild.

Lesser kestrel If you have the good fortune of spotting the lesser kestrel on a hunt, you’ll be amazed by its speed and agility as it swoops to snatch its prey. Though common across south-central Asia and Africa, the European variety is confined to the Mediterranean coast and Andalucia.

Audouin’s gull Unlike many of its relatives,

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Audouin’s gull rarely scavenges, feeding instead on various small fish and crustaceans along the Mediterranean and West African coasts. It was nearly hunted to extinction in the 1960s but has since made a strong recovery. It is still quite rare, owing to its limited range. Luckily for local birdwatchers, an estimated 90% of these red-billed gulls live on the Spanish coast.

Hoopoe This bird’s quirky name is actually an onomatopoeia, said to describe the hoopoe’s peculiar call. It’s plentiful across Afro-Eurasia and was once considered sacred by the ancient Egyptians. Nowadays the hoopoe is the national bird of Israel and is certainly one of the most distinctive-looking species on this list, with its feathery Mohawk-like crown and zebra-striped wings and tail.

Balearic shearwater This medium-sized, dun-coloured seabird may not be especially eye-catching, but for serious birdwatchers, the Balearic shearwater is a big deal. It is only found on the coasts of Spain’s Balearic islands, where luxury holiday resorts increasingly infringe on the shearwater’s breeding grounds. Predators like gulls, cats and rats further threaten this species, which is expected to go extinct within 40 years if current trends continue.

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Black-winged kite This long-winged bird of prey strikes a dapper image in its black, white and grey plumage — but if you get a closer look, it’s the kite’s ruby-red irises that will really catch your attention. Like several of the other species on this list, the blackwinged kite is plentiful across swathes of Africa and Asia, but the Iberian peninsula is its sole European foothold. As its name suggests, the kite has a habit of hovering in the air as it scans the ground for prey before swooping to catch its next meal.

19

November 7th - November 20th 2019 Spanish imperial eagle One of the crowning jewels of Iberian fauna, the Spanish imperial eagle is native only to the Iberian peninsula (though unconfirmed sightings have been reported in northern Morocco). It was driven to the brink of extinction in the 1970s but has since recovered to “threatened” status. This bird is every bit as majestic as its name suggests, and luckily for locals, Andalucia is one of the best areas in Spain to catch a glimpse of this avian royalty.

Little bittern Not to be confused with the little bustard, the little bittern is a small waterfowl belonging to the heron family. Though it’s quite common in the wetlands of southern Europe, the little bittern’s golden-brown plumage and habit of skulking in tall reeds make it difficult to spot without a pair of binoculars. If you do manage to catch a glimpse, watch for its distinctive hunting behavior — standing stock-still in shallow water, then stabbing downward with its sharp bill to catch fish and insects.

European roller This striking blue and orange-brown bird can be found across southern Europe while the weather is warm, but as winter approaches, it heads south to sub-Saharan Africa. The roller’s English name comes from its high-flying acrobatic manoeuvres, while its Spanish name, which translates to ‘ratchet,’ comes from its distinctive raspy call.

Western swamphen What looks like a chicken and swims like a duck, but has the colouring of a bluebird and the call of a parrot? It’s the western swamphen, a subspecies of the purple swamphen that lives across southern Europe and northern Africa. It can be found in the vegetation surrounding wetlands, and despite its unwebbed red feet, the swamphen has no trouble swimming and even hunting for aquatic prey.

20

November 7th - November 20th 2019

HEALTH

www.weekender.news

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HEALTH APPOINTMENt

By Jeremy Kenton

Expert osteopath Jeremy Kenton on recognising the aches and pains of arthritis but additional treatments loving their truSculpt iD

by BPT

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Multiple areas are almost certainly the classic signs of ropositive, better known as rheumatoid tain the range of mobility in the joints. can be treated in one session,

Coke capital Spain and Britain’s favourite illegal drug is cocaine a new study finds - but which Spanish city is the capital of coke?

COCAINE is Spain and the UK’s favourite illegal drug, a new international study has revealed.

Research published in the journal Addiction analysed the wastewater of 120 cities, across 37 countries, six of them in Spain.

The drug habits of 60 million people were analysed between 2011 and 2017 in a study involving the Superior Council for Scientific Research (CSIC).

And while Barcelona might be better known for being a European cultural capital, it’s also the European capital of coke, according to the researchers.

Residents of the city snort more of the white stuff than those living in any other European city.

They’re also among the top five consumers of drugs overall.

Even more shocking is the revelation that the Catalan capital has seen an almost

100% increase in cocaine use since 2015.

In terms of daily consumption that is equivalent to one gram per thousand people in 2017.

It comes as other Spanish cities like Madrid - which has seen a decrease in cocaine use from 450 milligrams to about 300 - generally don’t use above 600 milligrams of coke per thousand people.

Meanwhile, London, Zurich, Antwerp and Amsterdam join Barcelona in the top five for illegal drug consumption overall.

Barcelona is also eighth for ecstasy use on the Continent, with the Netherlands first.

Germany is top for users of methamphetamine, while Barca is 13th.

The wobbles You may think that loose teeth can only be solved by dentures, but Karan Sud Dental’s fibrebond technology can save you the time, effort, pain and cost

SUFFERING with loose teeth?

You may have been told you will now need dentures or implants.

But this is not actually the case, especially with regards to the front teeth.

At Karan Sud Dental, in Calpe, we use fibrebond technology to splint loose teeth together and replace missing teeth.

This innovation uses a resin-based fibre, placed behind the affected teeth, that can strengthen them without having to pull them out and allows you to keep your teeth for much longer.

Dentures are bulky, and affect both taste and function. They also can jeopardise the health of remaining teeth.

Dental implants in the anterior region - or front teeth - are also very complicated.

They involve surgery, and take a lot of time, effort and expense.

With fibrebond technology, however, you can save on all of these things, as well as pain.

If you have mobile or missing teeth, please call us to see if you’re a suitable candidate for this innovative treatment.

Dr Karan Sud British dentist Calpe

“Very pleased with my new dental treatment from Karan and the team. My teeth were loose, but this treatment solved the problem completely. I am usually very nervous around the dentist, but the procedure was pain-free and the aftercare was easy and exceptional. Well done.”

Glenys Cook

For more information visit www.ksuddental.com Tel: (+34) 965 837 553 - 24h emergency: (+34) 602 612 688 Clinica Britannia, Avda Ejercitos Españoles 16, first floor, Calpe

HEALTH

Get vaccinated

MORE than 1,700 health centres have today begun a Valencia-wide campaign urging the elderly to get their flu jabs.

The Department of Health has prepared 800,000 vaccines – 50,000 more than last year – to protect against seasonal viruses.

From the 800,000, a total of 500,000 jabs are for the general population, with 300,000 reserved for over-64s and which

0

Health & Beauty

21

November 7th - November 20th 2019 provide a ‘higher level of protection’.

José Antonio Lluch, head of the Health Promotion Service of the health department, said the aim this year was to reach 65% of over 64s in the Community.

Last year, only 52% were vaccinated.www.weekender.news Lluch stressed that viruses claimed 188 lives last year, with 1,000 severe cases of fever.

The department will also send 80,000 text messages to persons vaccinated last year.

For more information, please contact your local health department.

Look better in the buff: Get your sexy back without everything you love OAP:giving Oldupage paradise SPAIN is the best country to retire to in Europe, according to a new report.

Blacktower Financial Management has revealed the best - and worst - European countries for retirees based on cost of living, crime rates, life expectancy, property prices and population age.

The country scored highly in

Looking sexy, svelte or built by BPT but additional treatments loving their truSculpt iD in your clothing is one thing. may be required for optimal results. In a separate study Looking better in the buff is a runners and yoga enthusiasts sculpting years. results. of individuals who had the Second rankings is Fin-100 percent said whole other ballgame. Clothing topping the list.

“TruSculpt iD in is the a very procedure, land, somewhat suprisingly.

According to board- even low-cut necklines, shortexciting new development in they were satisfied, would get Thebody chilled Scandinavian at- and would refer plastic surgeon non-surgical shorts or tight-fitting tees - can certified contouring. it done again andlove gorgeous magic hide your flaws and accentuate Walter L. Bernacki, MD The lowermosphere abdomen and a friend for truSculpt iD. And of the Northern makesfelt it better in - or out your assets, but when you are of Ohio Plastic Surgery in handles can be treated in justLights a everyone a great choice for retirees. nude, there’s nowhere - or way Central Ohio, “The newest single 15-minute comfortable of - their clothes. every- section with its average non-surgical ings, towns, andtreatment of body cities, contouring to hide anything. session. Our patients So, if you’re thinking about Cutera’s truSculpt paving the way for toit look landbetter the system courseislots of sunshine - which If you want have been very pleased Grey with the looking into a new kind of that uses naked, you are not alone. Far iDmakes top spot overall. it a radiofrequency perfect settingbody for sculpting results they can personalized body sculpting Italy this came in third place,resorting a technology to targettheir and final More and surroundmore people (RF) achieve with innovative without to drastic Spainfrom hasit.beautiful those approaching known formeasures, its wines, are into healthy living and permanently destroy fat in your system,” country says Dermatologist find a truSculpt iD and pasta -provider a winning getting fit these days. The good trouble spots (think muffin tops Jeffrey S.olive Dover,oils MD, FRCPC near you by searching notlove all it’s cracked up to handles) - in just 15 be. combination you’re news is IT thatturns there out is fiwork nally isand of Skincare Physiciansforin when https://trusculpt.com/find-aRetirement is the secret to preventing depressomething you can do about comfortable minutes with no Chestnut past Hill, MA. the point of no provider. return and sion, involve scientists havedowntime. found. We have found that it that doesn’t giving By and large, are in packing have no people problems Spaniards aged 65 to 75 suffer from depression up carbs and sweets, doing the treatment works on all skin on some extra pounds. a 27% orlower thansizes those between types, andaged physiques, excessiveatcrunches havingrate The UK featured in 17th place 55 and 64. including individuals who invasive cosmetic surgery.

- despite the perception of grey study of 1,700 people foundnot that over 65s previously considered Fully Theone-third of were skies and constant rain, the exercise more, eatcandidates healthier smoke less for and body contouring Americans opt for minimally rolling hills of the north are a than their or younger peers. Pensioners also reinvasive fat reduction body procedures.” joy to see, whatever the weathmore, better truSculpt drinking and having social sculpting ported treatments to lookless What’s er, and the south-west has with average fat better in the buffThe , according to iD produces lives. researchers also bustanthe stereotype it some gorgeous coastline, and reduction of 24burden percent, on andthe a new survey 500 men andplace that ofpensioners a greater opportunity to grab a board visible improvements seenuse women from Cutera, Inc. And heath service.

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Multiple areas are mostabout likelytotogive have a up work. people a new lease of life. body-sculpting treatment, with can be treated in one session,

Sunny Spain named best country in Europe to enjoy your golden years

A healthy retirement

Don’t worry

Worrying and anxiety can make day to day life difficult, but with its top class medical staff, Clinica Britanica is here to help WHEN does worrying end and an anxiety disorder begin? Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health problem in the whole world, with around 1 in 3 of us suffering an anxiety disorder at some point in our lives. They can be defined as a disorder when your anxiety gets out of control and starts to affect your life.

Anxiety disorders can be distressing and make it difficult for you to live your life the way you want. However, there are effective treatments available and effective ways to prevent anxiety. Mental illness is

treatable and there are lots of ways to get help. Just come and visit our psychiatrist for a consultation.

Clinica Britannia is a British medical and dental centre established in Calpe in 1997. English, German, Russian, French and, of course, Spanish are also fluently spoken by the staff.

You can always contact them in case of emergency 24/7/365.

With no waiting lists, Clinica Britannia has at your disposal the best surgeons and anaesthetists under the supervision of a consultant physician.

Come and visit us. We will inform you.

CLINICA BRITANNIA, 16 BIS (next to 16) FIRST (not Ground) Floor, Ejercitos Españoles Av Tel 965 837 553 - 24H 607 255 755

22

November 7th - November 20th 2019

Food fight

COLUMNISTS GetTING ConnectED By Loraine Gostling

With Javea Connect erupting in House of Commons-esque arguments over a new restaurant, Loraine Gostling imposes some order So, what has been going on

Farm Flash

By Susan Weeding

The discovery of a mule locked up in a cupboard in an abandoned warehouse yielded one of the Easy Rescue Centre’s most psychologically traumatic rescues

Over the years we have had many strange cases of rescues, however I do believe Manolo’s to be the most horrific in terms of psychological animal abuse.

In Callosa De Segura there are a division of the policia local, called is Urma, concerned solely in animal welfare and country matters and they cover the whole of Callosa De Segura.

Last June, someone tipped them off there was a two-year-old mule being kept in an old factory.

So yet again they called in the Easy Horse start queuing up and, indeed, was it fake news?

My post announcing this earth-shattering news was shared left, right and centre and reached more people that day than other posts would in a week.

People were both drooling

over it and demonising it, but, at the end of the day, after all the votes were cast in 24 hours, I counted them.

(Unfortunately, both John Bercow and Sir Lindsay Hoyle are busy at the moment dealing with a little problem called London Fried Brexit so, I shall

announce that the ‘ayes’ to the right were 660 and the ‘nos’ to the left were just 37, so the ayes have it - the ayes have it!)

And my opinion of this gastronomical feast in a bucket?

Well, I have to be honest and say that I am not a big meat or poultry fan.

Gravy going anywhere near chips or the crispy bits is a big no-no – soggy chips have forever been banned from my plate!

There is only one place that I will put myself out to go and get KFC, and that is Indonesia, where there must be many others like me who relish the chicken skin coated in those eleven herbs and spices and sell by the bucketful (I read it in the Sun so it must be true!).

Finally, as I do like to delve a bit in finger lickin’ history, you may not know that, until his death in 1980, Col. Sanders always wore his white suit and black string bowtie and worked as a spokesperson for the company he founded.

But he wasn’t pleased with the taste of his famous chicken and gravy.

In interviews, he was so upset by the quality of the food that he would tell reporters that the gravy ‘ain’t fit for my dogs’.

In fact, he was so open about his disdain for the alterations made to his recipes, that KFC sued him for libel in 1978.

The Colonel stuck two of his good lickin’ fingers up at the prosecution and the case was thrown out of court!

FRIENDS: Manolo now loves life at the Sanctuary Care Rescue Centre.

They took Rod to a huge but derelict factory.

Right at the back there was a very small office. The police broke the door down and inside was essentially a cupboard, with a mule inside.

How long he had been kept there in complete darkness we do not.

It was very hard to see even with torches if he had water, and he was in a terrible condition.

Castrated

This young mule had not been castrated and was extremely strong despite being malnourished; Rod and the police had to wrestle to get a head collar on him and bring him out.

He was terrified by the daylight.

Freed from his horrific captivity, he came to the rescue centre and we managed to get him into a secure stable, but he still remained very aggressive.

He was very difficult to handle due to his abuse, but we castrated him and put him out in the donkey field.

There Manolo rapidly became the head honcho, and took Freddie the albino donkey as a friend.

Manolo has now been with us five and a half years and recently decided to integrate himself in with several groups of horses.

There are one or two horses that have become his best friends – Louis and Zack – and they’ve turned him completely around into a loveable, happy mule that just craves attention.

He does what he wants to do, goes where he wants, and is not afraid of the daylight.

We’ll never know who owned him or his past history; we’re just thankful that one person decided to make a denuncia so the police knew there was a donkey in a dark cupboard in an abandoned warehouse.

Otherwise, who would ever have dreamed there was a mule locked up in there?

OP Puzzle solutions

Quick Crossword

Across: 1 Broth, 4 Helped, 10 Outflow, 11 Stuff, 12 Laid, 13 Reversed, 14 Assassinate, 18 Abnormal, 20 Uses, 22 Lilac, 23 Emotive, 24 Tenant, 25 Satyr.

Down: 2 Retains, 3 Tile, 5 Eastern, 6 Paul’s, 7 Dyfed, 8 Pools, 9 Sweepstakes, 15 African, 16 Testify, 17 Islet, 18 Allot, 19 Nylon, 21 Sofa.

SUDOKU

these last weeks with the happy ‘connectors’ on my Facebook group?

What makes people talk to each other? What are the subjects that people want to discuss?

Well, it may come as a surprise – or maybe not – that the singular hot topic recently was the huge sign that has gone up near our shopping centre in Ondara, proudly announcing that the famous ‘finger-lickingly good’ restaurant franchise, KFC, is embarking upon a new clucking restaurant and that soon those succulent, breasts, thighs and nuggets would be available with a bag of limp patatas fritas RIGHT ON OUR DOORSTEP! Right now, consumers of the secretly-coated poultry have had to pack a lunchbox and head to Benidorm, Calpe or Gandia to get their fix – and so this breaking news was greeted with delight from hoards of addicts. But it didn’t take long before fowl warfare started!

Skin and hair flew about, while Javea connectors argued about how unhealthy KFC is, whether they would also have the beans and gravy, when to

Rescuing Manolo

6 9 5 7 4 2 8 3 1

1 7 3 9 5 8 6 4 2

2 8 4 1 3 6 5 7 9

7 2 8 4 6 9 1 5 3

3 5 9 2 1 7 4 8 6

4 6 1 5 8 3 2 9 7

9 1 6 8 7 4 3 2 5

8 3 2 6 9 5 7 1 4

5 4 7 3 2 1 9 6 8

Puzzle by websudoku.com

SPORT

If you have a sports story, newsdesk@theolivepress.es or call 0034 951 273 575

23

November 7th - November 20th 2019

On a higher plane GRANADA’s unprecedented run may have taken a tumble in their last game but the side is making brilliant progress in La Liga this season.

The newly-promoted club sit sixth in the league, high enough for a European spot, and are only two points off the top of the table.

The Andalucian team have made serious strides this campaign despite their small stature but now face two tough fixtures, as they

La Liga rule book ripped up as Barca and Madrid do battle with Andalucia’s best

prepare to face Valencia and Atletico Madrid the following game.

The hope is that momentum isn’t lost after the southern side suffered a

Racism shame SHAMELESS Spanish football officials have demanded an English team apologise over racism allegations they made against an Andalucian club.

Queens Park Rangers’ under-18 side were forced to walk off the pitch during a match against Sevilla team AD Nervion in August.

It came after opposition players made monkey noises and taunted them, saying ‘n*****.’

The London-based club demanded an apology from the Spanish team.

But now, in an extraordinary turn of events, the

Andalucian FA has ordered QPR to apologise to them for ‘undermining the good name’ of the region.

QPR Chief Executive Lee Hoos said: “It’s a joke and it’s clear nobody cares.”

“Had this incident occurred in England I have no doubts the issue would be dealt with swiftly.

“Unfortunately, it seems some countries have a long way to go in this respect.”

Hoos had previously asked UEFA to look into the incident, which occurred during a friendly match.

&

late blow in their last game against Real Sociedad, losing 2-1 at home.

In September, Granada turned over current league-leaders Barcelona 2-0, and the team has gone from strength-to-strength ever since.

Diego Martinez Penas, the manager, was appointed in 2018 and helped the side achieve promotion to Spain’s top league.

This year, his side made their best ever start to a La Liga campaign.

The end of October even saw the Nazaries sit top of La Liga for a period, and though they have dropped off slightly, fans should be expecting more than just survival this season.

In 12 games, Granada have won six, lost four and drawn two games.

Sinful streamers OVER half of Spaniards have used illegal platforms to stream sports games.

Some 56% of Spaniards acknowledged having used an illegal platform to watch sport, according to results found by Smart Protection, a company dedicated to combat online piracy and counterfeiting.

Its investigation also revealed that while 36% have never streamed sports illegally, a large 74% knew someone who had and 32% knew more than one person who had. Interestingly, 60% of respondents agreed they should pay to watch a live match. However the report found that 36% of Spaniards resort to pirate transmissions because they can’t afford the subscription.

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Life’s a beach CALPE Town Hall is set to fine its concessionary beach-cleaning company €6,000 after it failed to open public bathrooms on time and neglected to replace damaged buoys.

FINAL WORDS

Playing games BENITACHELL’S public library has disconnected its WiFi at night after realising that a large number of ‘underage children’ were connecting to the network to play video games.

Mobile scan PATIENTS are having MRI scans in the back of a lorry behind Denia hospital after private firm VIVO Diagnostico was contracted in to reduce long waiting lists for tests.

Bin of fire A 61-year-old man has been arrested for suspected arson of 24 rubbish bins containers in Alicante city centre.

OLIVE PRESS

The

NEWS IN BRIEF

FREE

COSTA BLANCA

Vol. 1 Issue 17 www.theolivepress.es

Your expat

voice in Spain

November 7th - November 20th, 2019

Come clean A cleaner went overboard with her job and disposed of sensitive documents by mistake

A GOVERNMENT official called in the Guardia Civil to investigate the ‘robbery’ of sensitive documents before a cleaner admitted to throwing them out to ‘make some space’.

The municipal architect for Teulada-Moraira Town Hall reportedly gave the cleaner an ‘anxiety attack’ when she realised what she had chucked out.

The cleaner reportedly had cleared shelves from a cupboard in the architect’s office in the department of Urban Development.

The truth came out during a Questions and Answers ses-

GRILLED: The cleaner came clean when pressed at a plenary council meeting sion at the last plenary coun- Vila, Teulada-Moraira mayor. cil meeting, when opposition “An employee in the Urban department leader Raul Llobell pressed Development the cleaner why she didn’t ask thought the documents were old and went back to the days the architect first.

“Were the documents bother- of the previous municipal aring you?” the opposition lead- chitect.

“Since more space was needer asked.

“Did you even read them? And ed, she mistakenly threw them do you have a professional ca- out. pacity to dispose of these doc- “But they were all scanned and wouldn’t have been lost.” uments?”

He also inquired why the The semi-destroyed docucleaner hadn’t come clean two ments were reportedly in rubweeks previously when the ar- bish bags and were saved just chitect had called in the police. before being taken to landfill.

“It was an error,” said Rosa

Parking mad WE all know Spanish drivers are notorious for parking in unlikely spaces.

But one video has captured the moment a grey Audi was spotted parked ON TOP of another vehicle on a Benidorm street.

“Oh my God, look at the state of that!” a man said on a video passed to the Olive Press.

The incident is understood to have taken place on October 25, when the driver of the car reportedly ‘blacked out’ at the wheel.

Get the hump

A ZEBRA crossing ‘in the middle of nowhere’ has sparked outrage and confusion rural northern Spain.

The freshly-painted crossing is complete with four flashing signs alerting drivers to non-existent pedestrians.

“It’s in a mountainous area in Galicia where there’s no one around for kilometres,” wrote Robert Martinez, who posted the video online.

“It’s a zebra crossing in the middle of nowhere.”

The video sparked a raft

of sarcastic comments, with one writing ‘is this their justification for taking our money?’

Another wrote it could have been for ‘pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago’, while a number assumed it was for the ‘cows and sheep’.

“This is what you call a ‘contract of brothers-inlaw’.

Someone’s family member made a lot of money from this,” wrote one commentator.