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COSTA BLANCA SUR / MURCIA Vol. 5 Issue 113 www.theolivepress.es April 18th - May 1st 2024 FREE
A MASTER Taking a look at the lesser known Gaudi creations
April 2024
GAUDI, GOLDEN VISAS AND GETTING A LIFE IN THE SUN PERFECT BALA CLUCKS TO CREATIVITY n has beeio p that stud ken cooarchitect’s an The chic med into transfor
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HERE once chickens literally ruled the roost, a firm of architects is now drawing inspiration from of the Paratges de La Moixina.the nature Nestled within the scenic near Orlot (Girona), a natural park remarkable transformation has taken place. What was once a dilapidated chicken coop is now a centre of creativity and innovation, thanks to the work of the Arnau Estudi d'Arquitectura studio. Led by Arnau Verges, (below) the firm decided to restore the forgotten structure to its former glory. With a keen eye for design nau and his team renovated Arthe old coop, breathing new life into its weathered walls. The transformation of the ken coop into an archi- chictect’s studio has been nothing short of extraordinary. It exudes a sense of rustic charm, blending seamlessly with the natural beauty of its surroundings.. It was a labour of love for Arnau who
grew up on the farm where coop stands. He remembers the see ing roe deer and other wildlifeseeon the land. And now he has clear views from his comfortable stustu dio as the wildlife timidly approach the old coop. He said: “We watch the seasons and life go by through the winwin dow while we know that this little paradise is just a lucky fragment of the broken mirror of life.”
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SIESTAS, lots of holidays and long warm evenings… it any wonder Spain offers is the second-best work-life balance France came third, followed break, most Spanish workers by in the world. Australia, Denmark, Norway statutory annual leave of By Yzabelle Bostyn According to new research, get at least an hour to eat. and the Netherlands. days, while 16 weeks of 36 hours, including part-time The United Spaniards have much more According to global HR comKingdom was in maternity leave (at €100paid work. time to relax outside of work pany Remote, Spain scored of 79. eighth position, week) and getting 60% a Despite coming first, Kiwis get age happiness with an avercompared to most European a healthy 76 out of 100 for The poll took of less annual score of 6.94 into account workers. countries.. public holidays, sick leave, your wage if sick were pluses. iards, with 32leave than Span- out of 10. days. While In comparison to the UK, In the company’s study of the healthcare, Brits get 28 days annual leave, wage is the minimum hourly However, their sick leave 60 countries with the highest where most people work nine per- al leave, £96 a weekof annulow at €7.41, it is commaternity for sick to five jobs with a short lunch GDP globally, only New Zea- happiness. leave and overall pensated by an average happi- centage is higher at 80% as leave and 39 weeks well as maternity leave of materland came above with a score ness level of 6.48 out of 10. al- nity leave at £24 (€27). Spain did extremely well lowance, at around €98 for 26 In ninth for An ordinary work week is 25.9 weeks. and tenth place were Canada and Brazil, respectively.
Spain is the second-best
country in the world for
work-life balance
American mystery ystery Was Valencia based expat teacher killed by her husband during sex game gone wrong?
HAD ENOUGH! GIBRALTAR’s Chief Minister has announced he will step down after his current term. Fabian Picardo told a popular podcast things had gotten ‘a little stickier’ and ‘I’ve had my fill of this job’. His words in The Rest is Politics come as an inquiry gathered steam over the early retirement of Gib’s former police boss. Ex-Commissioner Ian McGrail told Gibraltar Court this week how Picardo had ‘questions to answer’ over his involvement in an alleged criminal conspiracy. He claims he stepped in to effectively quash an investigation, called Operation Delhi, that threatened Gibraltar’s national security. It came after Caine Sanchez, John Perez and Tommy Cornelio were arrested in 2020 over a scheme to fraudulently transfer a €840,000-a-year border security contract to a company called 36 North Ltd. Picardo allegedly had full knowledge and ‘owned 3%’ of the company, which was set up specifically to take on the government contract, the court heard. His friend, James Levy - the boss of the Rock’s leading law firm Hassans - injected a ‘considerable sum’ into the company for a 33% stake. “I would not classify [the Chief Minister] as a suspect,” McGrail told the hearing. “But he had questions to answer.” In the end, Operation Delhi was discontinued in 2022 over ‘matters of national security.’ McGrail’s lawyers ‘allege corruption’ and that Picardo forced their client’s retirement after the Royal Gibraltar Police (RGP) carried out a search warrant at Levy’s office and took his phone and tablet. Lawyers for the government insist the police boss was forced to resign because of a series of poorly-handled incidents causing them to ‘lose confidence’ in him.
EXCLUSIVE By Laurence Dollimore
CLOSE friends of a teacher whose husband claims she died during a drug-fuelled sex game have poured cold water over the claims. They told the Olive Press they never saw expat Bianca Pitman, 43, ever take drugs. The teacher and mother-of-two, from Texas, was found dead inside a holiday apartment in Malaga on April 6. Her common law husband, Jose Betancourt, 50, ran into a square at 5.30am calling for help, saying his wife was unconscious. He is now being investigated over the death which he claims came after they engaged in ‘rape roleplay’ and after she took an unspecified ‘substance’. Yet, Valerie Dullnig, a close friend, told the Olive Press that drugs were ‘never’ a part of her life. The Texan revealed: “She was an art teacher and a photographer. She was my best friend, she was happy and smart and encouraging, everybody loved her, everyone who met her felt better for being part of her life. “Her students loved her and kept in touch with her after they graduated, she was such a popular figure. “She was very close with her children. Her daughter is best friends with my daughter. She had a great relationship with them… everybody is shocked by this.” She revealed how Bianca had been teaching English at a school in Xativa, in Valencia, and ‘seemed happy’
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ARRESTED: No bail for Jose over sex game
with her new life. During various conversations on Snapchat, she sent videos of her new neighbourhood and friends. She added she didn’t understand how and why Bianca, from San Antonio, had come s o u t h to Malaga to FLED: Bianca (centre) who lived in Xativa with her two children had come for meet her ‘new life in Spain’ ex-partner. at the flat in Plaza de Camas, they a substance’, the details of which Valerie insisted she had desperately tried to revive Bianca, remain unknown. ‘fled’ the States to but she was pronounced dead at the Jose was first arrested for reckless start ‘a fresh new scene. homicide before an autopsy relife’ in Spain - and Police sources said Jose told inves- vealed signs of asphyxiation due to more importantly, tigators he and Bianca had enjoyed strangulation. did ‘not want Jose a horse-drawn carriage ride through He is now being probed for domesto know where she the city before having dinner, ‘lots of tic violence and will remain in priswas’. tequila’ and sex until dawn. on without bail while the investigaWhen emergency When police quizzed Jose, he also tion continues. services arrived claimed that Bianca had ‘consumed Authorities now must determine whether the strangulation took place during a sexual ‘rape roleplay’, or whether it was intentional and planned. Opinion Page 6
ALL YOUR LEGAL ISSUES DEALT WITH!
SCENE: The square Jose ran to for help
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