Olive Press Mallorca issue 218

SCI-FI SKYLINE

TIMELINE TO DISASTER

● 7.45AM OCT 29: Spain's weather agency Aemet issues a red alert weather warning for 'incredible risk to life' in the Valencia region

● MIDDAY, OCT 29: Mazon sits down with the blonde journalist, Maribel Vilaplana, at the Ventorro restaurant for a lavish working lunch.

● EARLY AFTERNOON, OCT 29: Catastrophe warnings and data showing a massive storm surge pile up on desks across the government, but the crucial public alert is not issued.

● MID-AFTERNOON, OCT 29: The DANA storm hits, overwhelming the Poyo ravine and engulfing towns. Citizens are left completely unaware.

● LATE AFTERNOON/EVENING, OCT 29: While the death toll mounts, Mazon and Vilaplana remain in their prolonged ‘sobremesa’ - the political leader only fielding a few calls, but crucially, still failing to grasp the gravity of the unfolding disaster.

● 8:11 PM, OCT 29: The Generalitat Valenciana finally issues the mobile phone emergency alert (ES ALERT), hours after the deadly floods began and with many people already dead. Mazon is still MIA - he doesn't arrive at the crisis center (CECOPI) until 8:28 PM.

● EARLY HOURS, OCT 30: Mazon claims he only found out about the 229 deaths and the true scale of the tragedy after the hours of boozy indulgence were over.

Valencian president quits as blonde lunch scandal erupts over floods which killed 229

FATAL ATTRACTION

By Dilip Kuner & Alex Trelinski

THE day of reckoning has finally arrived. Valencian President Carlos Mazon officially resigned on Monday, confessing to ‘unbearable’ moments after a poll revealed a staggering 75% of Valencians wanted him gone.

But it took the 51’year’old PP politician over a year to do so as he grimly clung to power despite a dozen marches calling for his head over the October 29 DANA floods that killed hundreds.

Scandal

His downfall is the bitter fruit of a political scandal fueled by the devastating flood and one fateful, lingering afternoon with an attractive blonde journalist.

The judicial inquest into the disastrous DANA storm, which claimed the lives of 229 victims, reached fever pitch this week as Maribel Vilaplana, the 50-year-old divorcee at the heart of the crisis, was forced to testify.

Vilaplana, dodging the angry screams

of victims’ families outside the courthouse after months of mass protests (the latest attracting 50,000 enraged citizens), confirmed the explosive details: she was with Mazon, who is married with two children, for a prolonged ‘lunch and after-lunch talk’ (sobremesa) at the Ventorro restaurant, while the deadly weather system bore down on the region. The key question haunting the public remains: Why was Mazon, the man responsible for issuing the catastrophe alert, extending an after-lunch talk instead of doing his job?

ANGER: 50,000 people joined a march in Valencia calling for Mazon’s resignation. He complied four days later

The attractive journalist’s testimony, while highly anticipated, was short on substance, confirming the suspicion that this case has ‘More Sensational ism Than Substance’ (Mas Morbo Que Sustancia).

Vilaplana, who is not cur rently under investigation, claimed she only had ‘per sonal impressions’ of Mazon’s demeanor. She admitted he received calls - but

Mazon and Vilaplana dined through the afternoon as hundreds

were those calls about saving the 229 lives, or ordering another bottle of Rioja?

Legal experts claim her memory is now ‘imprecise, inexact, and full of gaps,’ a detail the public is already spinning into a spectacular cover-up. Was it the pressure of the moment, or was the memory simply washed away by a boozy, high-stakes midday party?

The gravity of the situation is horrifying: Mazon is under fire for potentially instructing officials to

actually hold back the alarm, leading directly to the terrifying drownings.

In his tearful resignation speech, Mazon admitted: “I know I made mistakes, I recognise it and I'm going to live with them all my life.” He claimed he didn't know the Poyo ravine was overflowing or the true scale of the tragedy until the next morning. But his mea culpa was immediately savaged.

Rosa Alvarez, president of a flood victim association, slammed the speech as ‘painful and undignified’, claiming it was ‘steeped in lies’.

Scalp

Socialist rival Diana Morant rubbed salt in the wound, declaring Mazon’s fall ‘good news’ and crowing that victim families had ‘claimed the scalp’ of the 'worst Valencian president in its history’.

Mazon has fallen, but the scandal

continues. Now, a desperate succession battle has begun. Juanfran Perez Llorca, the PP secretary general and Mayor of Finestrat since 2015, is already being touted as the favourite to claim the presidency. But the minority government relies on the far-right Vox party, which holds the balance of power. They could back Llorca - or force early regional elections to boost their own seats! Mazon, who shamefully remains a deputy, is effectively shielded from prosecution by legal privilege - even in defeat. But the long shadow of that single, wine-fueled afternoon hangs over the entire case, proving once and for all that sometimes, a politician’s biggest danger isn’t a political rival - it's a long, boozy lunch that seals his fate.

Park boost

BENIDORM is spending €150k improving its public parks, including new children’s games, shaded areas, and benches.

Not not

MOTORISED ‘tuk

tuk’ vehicles will be banned from Alicante’s Old Town following protests by taxi drivers over unfair competition.

Fakes seized

OVER 1,000 fake sports shirts, handbags, and clothing were found in raids on two Alicante flats, with items destined for port area street sellers.

Rich Roig

VALENCIAN owner of the Mercadona supermarket chain - Juan Roig - has the fourth-largest fortune in Spain with €7.9bn, according to Forbes magazine.

VALENCIA prosecutors want exporn star Nacho Vidal (pictured) jailed for four years if he’s convicted for killing a photographer in a bizarre toad venom ritual.

Jose Luis Abad died at Vidal’s Enguera home in July 2019.

Vidal, 51, has been charged with reckless homicide, along with his cousin, who also faces four years behind bars.

Both defendants may also have to pay €20,000 each to the victim’s siblings if convicted.

The indictment states that Nacho Vidal was a common user of ‘bufo

Porn star toad death

toad venom’, which he regarded as a beneficial medicine but had no qualifications to administer it to anybody.

Luis Abad, 49, ingested the venom by inhaling it through a pipe. After around 30 seconds, he staggered, fell to the ground, began to convulse, and his chest and face turned purple.

Prosecutors say Vidal did not call emergency services for 30 minutes, by which time Luis Abad had died.

CASH DEATH

A MAN has been arrested by the Policia Nacional in Alicante for allegedly murdering his 37-year-old girlfriend to steal her recent €250,000 inheritance.

Cristina’s body was found wrapped and placed on a couch

inside her Alicante home. To conceal the smell of decomposition, scented candles and towels had been placed near the doors, though neighbours had already reported a ‘very strong stench’. An autopsy revealed Cristina

By Alex Trelinski

had been stabbed five times and may have been killed up to 20 days earlier. Police discovered a bloody knife and items allegedly used in an attempt to

Brit stabbed over cigarette

A BRITISH man was rushed to hospital with a punctured lung after a passer-by stabbed him for not letting him have a cigarette. The victim - identified by police as Scottish - was attacked with a screwdriver. A 45-year-old man has been arrested by the Valencia Policia Local.

He was described as having ‘disturbed mental faculties’ and has a criminal record.

The shocking assault happened in Valencia city centre just before 4am on October 25 in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

The attacker was still around when police arrived and he was immediately detained.

dismember the body.

The investigation led police to the victim’s 38-year-old partner and a 41-yearold accomplice. A third man had told authorities that the two suspects confessed to the killing and sought his help in disposing of the body.

The two men were detained after leaving a hotel in Playa

Man allegedly kills girlfriend to steal

€250,000 inheritance

de San Juan. They attempted to escape in an Audi A5 car, which police confirmed had been purchased with the victim’s money. Officers also found cash, gold jewelry, and drugs in the vehicle. Both suspects were subsequently remanded into custody.

The Policia Nacional’s Violent Crime Unit stated that €100,000 had already been taken from Cristina’s bank account through withdrawals and payments. Police believe the relationship had deteriorated after Cristina received the large inheritance, leading the partner and his friend to plot the murder to steal her assets.

Digital teen harasser

A 17-YEAR-OLD boy has been arrested in the Alicante area after making online death threats to the leader of the left-wing political party Podemos. He is also said to be behind a major network that stole personal data and encouraged digital harassment.

Ione Belarra complained to the police in May about cyberstalking via the Telegram app. Several threatening messages were sent to her including ‘I’m going to get you with a screwdriver’ and ‘I’m at your window, I’m going to your door’.

The Policia Nacional discovered the teenager ran a digital operation which involved cyberbullying, identity theft and the sale of personal and banking details of thousands of people.

A VALENCIA domestic worker, 33, broke her employer's trust by stealing €100,000 worth of jewellery. She then got her 54-year-old mother involved to help her pawn off the goods.

The Policia Nacional managed to return some of the stolen items to their rightful owner. They included watches, earrings, rings, pendants, chains and tie clips, all made of gold. Officers went round various gold shops to retrieve the stolen items and to build up the case against the thief and her mother.

Some of the jewellery had already been sold off.

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The Lynx Effect

AN amateur wildlife photographer has sparked The Lynx Effect after capturing the first-ever image of a white Iberian lynx in Spain. Angel Hidalgo, 29, from Jaen, spends his free time photographing wildlife across Andalucia as an escape from his day job in a construction materials factory. He made the remarkable find in the Jaen mountains, describing the animal as ‘the white ghost of

FERGIE IN SOTO

Fixated on roast suckling pig, ice cubes for her daily bath and a breakfast table set in three locations ‘to give her choice’

A NEW book has alleged that the now former Duchess of York behaved in an outrageously extravagant way during lavish holidays at a borrowed €40 million, 350-acre, Sotogrande estate. According to Entitled by Andrew Lownie, Sarah Ferguson - who lost her Duchess label when her ex husband Andrew was recently stripped of his royal titles - allegedly demanded three separate breakfast tables be fully laid - complete

with food - each morning so she could ‘have a choice’ of where she ate. She also insisted on daily deliveries of ice cubes to pour into her bath ‘to help her metabolism’. Guests also recalled her sudden fixation with last minute parties and roast suckling pig and nightly feasts ‘fit for Henry VIII’ that went largely uneaten. Her entourage and luggage arrangements meanwhile, were also revealed, in par -

the Mediterranean forest’.

Experts from the Lynx Project confirmed the discovery as historic – the first recorded white Iberian lynx ever documented. Hidalgo said he spent months tracking the elusive creature before finally spotting ‘a white shape that seemed to radiate its own light’ at dawn after rainfall.

“I was paralysed,” he recalled. “It was a dream come true.”

FAMILY:

ticular, that she would regularly miss non-refundable flights. She also allegedly travelled with 25 cases paying between €1000 and €5000 in excess baggage. “At least five of those cases were packed with toiletries and make-up. Another one would be used solely for clothes hangers.”

In addition, the book claims, she brought in personal trainers, hairdressers and pilates instructors paid hundreds per hour to wait for

her to emerge for the day, often late in the afternoon. In particular the book recalls a long nine-destination summer holiday in 2009, including stays in Sotogrande and Granada, as she escaped a developing scandal over her finances. It comes out as her ex, nolonger-prince-Andrew, faces a mounting scandal over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein involving alleged sex trafficking.

MULLINS IT OVER

‘MAC-MILLIONAIRE’ BURGER AIMS FOR CULINARY LUXURY BUT LANDS SQUARELY IN PR GIMMICK TERRITORY, WRITES THE UK’S RICHEST PLUMBER, CHARLIE MULLINS

RICH PICKINGS

THE biggest con-job since a dodgy gunslinging, ferry-captaining ‘colonel’ mixed his kitchen scraps with chicken carcasses and called it a ‘secret recipe,’ a restaurant has unveiled a €10,000 super-slider.

But for my money, Colonel Sanders’ addictive, pressure-fried bird — coated in a mix of herbs and plenty of salt — blows the Asador Aupa’s €9,450 SUA burger straight out of the PR water. Sure, the burger joint (which has earned a less than stellar 3.7 out of 5 on Tripadvisor ) has got its share of headlines with its Mac-Millionaire, but who’s actually going to fork out for one? I’ll tell you who: a Mac-Idiot!

Like the Colonel’s secret formula, Asador Aupa is keeping its recipe locked away, only revealing that the SUA burger features a blend of three premium meats, an exclusive European cheese, and a ‘signature’ sauce made from topshelf spirits.

Personally, I don’t think the geniuses behind this gastronomic monstrosity ever imagined they’d have to live up to that price tag

WORDS

with something as simple as a meat sandwich. But that’s where they’ve miscalculated. Even if this place usually charges a modest sum for a cheeseburger and fries, there’s always a certain

breed of pretentious, well-heeled a**hole willing to drag the family out for a feast, picking up an extra portion to bring home for the dog.

It’s obscene if you ask me. We don’t have to look far to see people struggling to eat — right here in Spain, times are tough.

The whole thing reminds me of Eat the Rich (1987), possibly the greatest dark comedy ever made about the absurdity of wealth and excess.

The plot follows the obnoxious upper-crust clientele of a swanky West End restaurant, Bastards, who are unknowingly served the freshly slaughtered and fried remains of their fellow diners.

Those unfortunate souls are dragged into the kitchen, thrown into a giant meat mincer, and turned into haute cuisine for the gluttonous elite. If you haven’t seen it, check it out, though be prepared for some bloody carnage and a lot of dark humour.

The point is this: the film, with its cast of Robbie Coltrane, Nigel Planer, Shane MacGowan, and Lemmy among others, and Asador Aupa’s ludicrous burger, both underscore the same tragic truth. When it comes to the ugly spectacle of greed and gluttony, there’s always someone willing to take the bait just to prove they can.

Serving up success

SERENA Williams (pictured) may have hung up her racket, but the tennis legend is still racking up accolades.

She has just been awarded Spain’s Princess of Asturias Award for Sports – a tribute not just to her legendary career but also to her fight for gender equalty.

The jury hailed Serena as ‘one of the greatest tennis players in history’, pointing to her 73 singles titles, including 23 Grand Slam wins and four Olympic golds. But it’s not just her sporting achievements that have earned her this recognition.

The ceremony saw Serena rubbing shoulders with Spain’s elite, including the heir to the Spanish throne, Princess Leonor (the Princess of Asturias herself), who presented the award. The evening was one of many memorable moments for Serena, who has joined the ranks of other legendary winners such as Rafael Nadal, Eliud Kipchoge, Lindsey Vonn, and Carl Lewis.

DISRUPTIVE DRONE

FLIGHTS to and from Alicante-Elche airport were disrupted for two hours on October 27 after a drone flew over protected airspace.

Authorities have still not been able to locate the owner of the craft.

Airport operator Aena shut down services at 8.53pm with flights resumed at 11pm.

Seven inbound flights were rerouted to Valencia with the rest to Murcia, Barcelona, and Palma de Mallorca.

The drone also resulted in delays to six outbound services including those to Liverpool, Manchester and London-Stansted.

The Policia Nacional deployed its specialists from the Aerial Means Unit to the Torrellano area- next to the airport- to try to locate the drone and its operator.

Depp’s donation

Hollywood star come to the rescue of flood-destroyed music school

FILM star and musician Johnny Depp has donated 65,000 US dollars (€56,282) to the Massanassa Music Centre in Valencia which was destroyed in last year's October floods.

The money will be transferred from the actor's charitable foundation within the next week or so.

A computer scientist involved with the centre reached out to the charity to get some help and got a positive response last week.

The centre had been operating from a basement area of the Lluis Vives Institute be -

MASSIVE CLEAR UP

COUNCIL workers have been cleaning a Mazarron villa and its grounds of tonnes of rubbish accumulated since 2019.

They acted on a court order after a ‘clear up’ ultimatum was issued and ignored last February.

The villa owner on the La Cumbre urbanisation is a teacher who suffers from the hoarding affliction known as Diogenes syndrome.

The problem started straight away when he bought the Calle Naranjo de Bulnes home six years ago. Neighbours said that he filled ‘everything with garbage’. There have also been serious public health concerns with increased numbers of mosquitoes, rats, and cockroaches.

Residents say they’ve not been able to use their swimming pools due to the infestation.

By Alex Trelinski

fore the floods struck.

The Centre Instructiu Musical (CIM) of Massanassa has nearly 500 members, two bands/orchestras, and a school for over 100 students in the town of 10,146 residents.

Music centre president, Jesus Mateo, said its headquarters were 'totally destroyed' by the floods.

“It absolutely destroyed us, we lost everything: headquarters, archives, instruments..."

Material losses were estimated to be in the region of €200,000.

Johnny Depp has visited Spain many times before in official and unofficial capacities, and was in the coun-

WRECKED: Massanassa Music Centre is being backed by Johnny Depp (below)

try last November amidst the aftermath of the floods.

The singer Placido Domingo via his foundation sent musical instruments earlier this year to replace those that had been lost. He also visited the area in March

to get a personal briefing on the damage caused.

Musicians are now rehearsing in the stalls of the municipal auditorium for their Christmas concert with the stage still unusable due to the floods.

The school has a temporary HQ in the upper part of Massanassa church.

Jesus Matero said: "With the donations we have been collecting we have been able to buy premises for the headquarters and we need the money to refurbish it, because it has to be soundproofed and adapted and that costs a lot of money."

Mobile homes targeted

A TOTAL of 29 people are being investigated for illegally setting up mobile homes in the Baiona Alta area of Mutxamel.

The individuals face accusations of breaching urban planning and territorial laws, following a similar crackdown in Alicante province, where 64 people are charged with similar offences.

Among those under investigation is a 41-year-old woman who promoted the illegal site and has a history of similar violations.

The Guardia Civil launched the investigation in February after reports of unlicensed buildings emerging in the rural area. Upon inspection of a 34,000 m² plot of non-developable land, officers found it had been divided into 16 sub-plots, some further split into smaller units, with mobile homes erected without permits.

The woman’s name appeared in public deeds of sale, alongside the buyers who each purchased a share. The 28 other property owners, aged 26 to 72, now face prosecution by the San Vicente del Raspeig court. Further action, including possible demolition, has been requested from Mutxamel council.

This investigation follows last month’s Operation Urbanitas, which uncovered multiple planning violations in several areas of the region, with 65 individuals being probed for similar illegal developments.

CHARITY MONSTER

THE conviction of a Costa Blanca-based British charity worker for raping a teenage girl nearly 30 years ago has raised fears there may be more victims, with some describing the case as ‘the next Jimmy Savile scandal’.

Steven Monk-Dalton (pictured), 56, was sentenced to six years in prison at Preston Crown Court on October 10, after a jury found him guilty of attacking a pupil he was coaching at a swimming club in Barrow, Cumbria, back in 1996.

Monk-Dalton, then in his late twenties, now faces a life on the Sex Offenders Register.

The jury took just two hours to deliver a unanimous verdict after a four-day trial. The victim presented photographs and multiple witnesses who corroborated her account, while Monk-Dalton struggled to offer any credible defence, reportedly claiming all witnesses were lying.

One source said: “He contradicted himself repeatedly. His statements were a mess - admissions became denials, and memory loss was followed by ‘certainty’. The jury saw through it.”

Victims

The incident was reported to the police in 2019, more than two decades after it occurred. This long delay has sparked fears that Monk-Dalton may have other victims, especially from his time living abroad.

Monk-Dalton, originally from Barrow-in-Furness, moved to Spain around 2005, where he became a well-known figure on the Costa Blanca, involved in charity fundraising and endurance challenges. These included running ‘44 marathons in 44 days’ and organising charity events for Reunite International, a group focused on parental child abduction.

However, a source close to the victim claims Monk-Dalton’s stories about his estranged daughter and ‘parental abduction’ were fabricated. They allege that Monk-Dalton was estranged from his daughter following a violent assault convic-

RESTAURANT TRAGEDY

A BRITISH woman died after choking on a piece of meat at a Valencia region restaurant.

Ceri Ball, 74, from Newport in Wales and her husband, Glyn, 77 were staying in Peñiscola where they had a holiday home.

Ceri was treated by paramedics at the restaurant after staff performed the Heimlich manoeuvre.

After around 20 minutes, the piece of steak was dislodged from Ceri’s throat. She was then taken on a 25 kilometre journey north to the Vinaros Regional Hospital, where she was put on life-support.

Heart

As Ceri’s two daughters were on the plane heading to be with her their mother’s heart gave out and she was pronounced dead.

“The damage to her body was ‘too severe’, her daughter Lisa Lisseman said.

“It was too long – she had not been breathing for 20 minutes by the time they resuscitated her.”

EXCLUSIVE By Walter Finch

tion in 2009.

The revelation of Monk-Dalton’s rape conviction has sent shockwaves through the Orihuela Costa community, where he was a prominent figure, particularly in the local darts scene. Following his conviction, Cum -

Fears more victims may come forward in Costa Blanca’s ‘very own

Jimmy Savile

case’ after British charity worker jailed for raping teenager

bria Police are urging any potential victims of sexual assault or child abuse to come forward, ei -

ther through police on 101 or the Bridgeway Sexual Assault Support Service at +44 330 223 0099.

Brit death

THE body of a British man has been discovered lying between two parked cars in Javea. Emergency services were called to Avenida Trenc d’Alba at 7.45am on Sunday..

The Guardia Civil attended the scene and a duty doctor from a nearby health centre certified that the man, 50, was deceased.

Reports

Reports suggested that there were no signs of violence, with a likelihood that the man may have suffered a heart attack or a fall. No further details have been released about the British national.

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

OPINION

Gone at last

THE resignation of Valencian President Carlos Mazon is the result of a devastating combination of political negligence and scandal that has left 229 dead. His tearful speech on Monday, acknowledging mistakes, rings hollow in the face of overwhelming evidence that his incompetence directly contributed to the loss of life during the October 29 DANA floods.

Many would argue that his mea culpa came 12 months too late. Rather than hanging on to power by his fingernails until a 12th protest march calling for his resignation, he should have gone a year ago. Mazon’s decision to spend a long, indulgent lunch with journalist Maribel Vilaplana while the storm surged across Valencia – and his subsequent failure to issue an emergency alert – paints a damning picture of his priorities.

As public officials scrambled to assess the severity of the flooding, Mazon was seemingly more concerned with ‘sobremesa’ than saving lives. His blasé attitude towards the gravity of the situation raises crucial questions: was he unaware of the disaster’s scale, or was he simply too distracted?

Vilaplana's testimony, while sensationalised, adds fuel to the fire. Her vague account of a ‘lunch and after-lunch talk’ offered little clarity on Mazon’s actions during the critical hours.

What is clear, however, is that his political fate was sealed not just by the storm, but by his reckless disregard for the responsibility he held.

While Mazon’s resignation is a step toward accountability, it is not enough.

The families of the victims deserve more than apologies. Children are still suffering the mental damage the terrifying storms caused.

The Valencian government must act to restore faith, and those responsible for withholding the alarm system should face the full consequences. Mazon’s resignation is just the beginning of the reckoning that must follow.

PUBLISHER / EDITOR

Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es

Dilip Kuner dilip@theolivepress.es Walter Finch walter@theolivepress.es

Yzabelle Bostyn yzabelle@theolivepress.es

Alex Trelinski alex@theolivepress.es

FURY & GRIEF

TEARS, fury and frustration have gripped Valencia as the region marked one year since the catastrophic floods that claimed 229 lives and left entire communities in ruins.

The solemn week of remembrance was a powerful reminder of the anger still simmering over the government’s handling of the disaster – and the deep scars it left behind.

Valencian president Carlos Mazon delivered what became his final speech before quitting in the grand surroundings of the regional parliament, acknowledging failures and pledging that ‘no one will be left behind’.

Just days earlier, the streets outside had filled with tens of thousands of protestors demanding his resignation – and justice for those who died.

The floods struck on October 29 last year, when torrential rain turned roads into rivers and swept away homes, cars and

‘Things should have worked better’ admitted beleaguered Carlos Mazon in speech just days before he quit, as Valencia remembered its 229 dead

By Dilip Kuner & Alex Trelinski

entire families.

Within hours, 229 people were dead. The region’s emergency response was widely criticised as chaotic, with alerts issued too late and coordination between services breaking down at crucial moments.

A year on, Mazon admitted his government’s efforts ‘were not enough’.

“We tried to do our best in unimaginable circumstances, but in many cases it was not enough,” he told the assembled throng. “Things should have worked better.”

He described the floods as ‘an unfathomable tragedy’ and said October 29 ‘will

never be forgotten’.

Declaring it an official Day of Remembrance for the victims, he promised to continue efforts to ‘accelerate recovery, reinforce security and improve prevention’.

“The pain was and continues to be immense,” Mazon said. “Nothing can give us back the people we lost, but we can honour their memory with commitment, affection and respect.”

He added that Valencian society had shown its best side in the worst of times:

“In its most difficult moment, our people came together. That day and the following ones will always remain etched in our collective memory.”

But outside the parliamentary chamber, sympathy was in short supply.

Four days before the anniversary, Valencia’s streets were filled with fury.

Up to 50,000 protestors marched from Plaza de San Agustin to Plaza de la Virgen in what was the 12th and largest demonstration so far against Mazon’s handling of the disaster.

Relatives of the victims led the march, holding aloft photos of their loved ones and banners demanding justice. They were joined by firefighters, 112 emergency call operators and local residents – all united in grief and anger.

‘Mazon resign!’ rang out across the old city for more than two hours. Some shouted ‘Mazon to prison!’ and ‘We don’t want him at the state memorial!’

The families wore T-shirts printed with ‘20:11 Ni oblit ni perdo’ (‘20:11 – Neither forget nor forgive’) – the exact time the government finally sent an emergency alert to phones, long after the floods had already killed dozens.

As the procession passed, onlookers applauded and threw white flowers in support.

Rosa Alvarez, president of the Associa

Stuff of nightmares

THOUSANDS of Valencian children remain haunted by the terror of the Valencian floods.

A report called ‘With Mud in the Backpack’ by Save the Children and Valencia University has found that more than 30% of children in flood-hit areas are still afraid of rain, storms or thunder, while a quarter continue to suffer sleep problems, one year on.

Researchers surveyed 2,300 families affected by the floods, alongside teachers, social workers, charity staff and local officials.

The findings paint a stark picture of a generation scarred by climate catastrophe.

Children

still traumatised a year after Valencia floods,

report finds

By Alex Trelinski

dependence on screens as a coping mechanism.

Among adolescents, 12% struggle to concentrate, 11% spend more time on electronic devices, and 7% have withdrawn socially.

Nearly half of families (45.7%) said their biggest worry is their children’s emotional wellbeing, while over half (52.4%) said their education has suffered since the disaster.

tion for those who need it most,” Hernandez added.

The inability to return to class, the report says, has deeply affected children’s emotional (71.6%) and social (33.3%) wellbeing.

Hernandez warned that psychological scars often last far longer than physical ones.

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One mother, Mari Carmen, explained her daughter is terrified every time it rains. “When it rains, she doesn’t want to go to lessons and she’s afraid,” she said. “Other mothers say the same – the children don’t want to go to extracurricular activities.”

The report documents widespread behavioural changes among young people, including heightened anxiety, stress and

Save the Children’s Valencia head Rodrigo Hernandez (pictured below) said reopening schools quickly after any emergency is crucial.

“In a crisis, school helps children recover a sense of normality and hope,” he said. “It’s not just a place of learning – schools provide vital services such as cafeterias, which many low-income families rely on.”

In October 2024, more than 18,000 children in flood-hit zones depended on school cafeterias for daily meals. “Keeping them open ensures healthy nutri-

“After an emergency, the wounds that last the longest are psychological,” he said. “We saw a lack of safe, caring spaces to help children recover emotionally.”

The report also highlights how normal childhood activities have been disrupted. Since the floods, 45% of children have stopped doing sports, 28% no longer join outdoor activities, and around a quarter have quit cultural or extracurricular clubs.

“We don’t understand how, even today, many spaces where children used to play and learn remain unrestored,” said Hernandez. “They are essential for their development.”

The arrival of Storm Alice this

October reignited trauma for many families, underlining how climate change continues to threaten those already scarred.

Save the Children warns that 93% of children in the region will experience at least one extreme weather event each year, making the Valencian Community one of Spain’s most vulnerable areas. Families living in poverty are hit hardest. “Those with fewer resources have lost homes and jobs and face huge diffi

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Billion battle from Booking

SPANISH hotels are gearing up for a $4billion battle with Booking.com.

In what could be one of Spain’s biggest legal battles, hundreds of hotels are expected to join a lawsuit.

The joint action estimates hotels lost around 2% of their annual revenue due to unfair practices from the giant holiday portal.. Under controversial pricing rules it forced firms to sign contracts containing ‘parity clauses’ - meaning they couldn’t offer cheaper rates elsewhere.

It meant any discount or special seasonal

By Walter Finch

rate had to also be offered to Booking.com, and this even included direct bookings to the

The landmark ruling last September has opened the floodgates for hotels to seek compensation. It comes after the country’s finance watchdog CNMC slapped a record €413 million fine on the giant for abusing its dominant market position - the biggest penalty in its history. Now law firm Eskariam is spearheading the joint action, estimating a total of around €4 billion, with €1 billion lost to hotels in An-

dalucia alone.

The lawyers’ analysis suggests hotels suffered damage worth between 1.65% and 2.12% of their annual revenues during the years these clauses were active.

It meant a hotel earning €5 million annually over a decade might claim €750,000 plus interest - or around €1 million in total. Eskariam is expecting around 500 hotel firms to join and the first lawsuit is planned for next year.

Booking.com disputes the claims, insisting the EU ruling doesn’t cite anti-competitive practices.

Bed and brilliant!

Boutique hotel for sale in Cadaques is one of only two of its kind

DEMAND for hotel rooms in Cadaques is almost as high as a painting by former resident Salvador Dalí.

So it’s incredibly rare for a hotel to come up for sale.

With proportional demand for hotel beds in summer beating Roses, Begur and every other destination on the Costa Bra-

va, it’s a guaranteed money spinner.

Cadaqués’ only problem is that supply can’t catch up.

Official data from Spain’s National Statistics Institute show that in August 2023, Cadaqués recorded 33,508 hotel stays with barely 1,182 beds available.

That isn’t counting AirBnb stays.

But with Spain’s government beginning

the removal of 65,000 illegal holiday rentals in Spain, those hotel beds in Cadaques are about to get very rare.

And you know what’s rarer still?

The boutique hotel for sale in

Cadaqués named “Mas dels Arbres”. It’s one of two of its kind in a 25km radius surrounding the town that National Geographic named the ‘most beautiful in the world’ in March 2025.

Cadaqués,Spain’s“best keptsecret”

Cadaques has been heaped with praise this year.

First, The Times called it the 2nd-best destination in Spain for an autumn break. Then, the New York Times placed an image of Cadaques’ beachfront and whitewashed buildings atop its Costa Brava hotel guide. Most recently, Condé Nast Traveller named Cadaques Spain’s “best kept secret” in September 2025.

Of course, none of these got there first.

Salvador Dali was the first to call Cadaques – with the world-famous Salvador Dali House Museum – the ‘most beautiful place in the world’.

A few decades later, the El Bulli restaurant was #1 on The World’s Best 50 Restaurants list five times, and brought 3 million restaurant reservations a year to Ca-

Pals is now for sale – priced at €11 million.

This 17th-century masia turned luxury estate sprawls across eight hectares of woodland and meadows, offering 30 rooms, two pools, a spa, tennis court and even a helipad. Hidden in the Quermany Natural Park, it’s a ready-made resort blending rustic Catalan charm with five-star indulgence.

Vineyards & Vows

Raise a glass to this 12th-century Catalan masia-hotel near Barcelona.

Mas Cabellut is a luxury retreat named ‘Spain’s best vineyard wedding venue’ where vines, olives and weddings grow side by side.

Set on 30 private hectares with five under

vineyards and two of olive groves, it boasts seven suites, 18 bathrooms, a pool, amphitheatre and Mediterranean gardens - and costs ‘over €10 million’. Restored to perfection, it runs as a profitable hospitality and events business – and has hosted everyone from NFL stars to Louis Vuitton models.

daques.

The town with a population of 2,918 could not accommodate them all.

But it’s Cadaques’ charm as an artsy fishing village with incredible food that continues to make it the “best” of many things high on the upmarket tourist’s list.

One of two of its kind

So what makes Mas dels Arbres so rare?

It’s a 17th-century farmhouse renovated in 2021 into a boutique hotel with a rural hotel licence.

It still has hooks outside its doors for farmers to hang a torch.

But that’s not what makes it rare.

A rural hotel licence is not like a regular hotel license.

This Turisme Rural licence lets hotel owners use a range of business models. For example, unlike an urban hotel, you can operate on a per-room basis and rent out the entire building.

You operate as a short-term boutique hotel, a wedding venue, a retreat centre and a private residence – all at the same time.

And that’s exactly what Mas dels Arbres does.

One week, it’s hosting a retreat by a world-leading Dubai-based psychologist.

The next week, it rents out its two suites and three rooms for prices starting from €360 a night, according to a local property rental portal.

Imagine the potential.

A boutique hotel. A 15-minute drive from Spain’s ‘best-kept secret’. And it doesn’t need peak-summer day tourists to turn a profit.

Mas dels Arbres is one of two boutique hotels with a rural tourism license in any of Cadaques and its neighbouring three towns.

It’s a rare opportunity for investors. Stringent regulations in the Cadaques area mean another boutique hotel with a rural license won’t be seen for decades.

Won’t be seen for a ‘generation’

There’s another thing about boutique hotels for sale with a rural licence.

Put it this way.

You won’t find another one this close to Cadaques for a ‘generation’, according to Cottage Properties co-director, Angels Sabater Anell.

“Mas dels Arbres is inside the Cap de Creus Natural Park, which surrounds Cadaqués and is one of the most protected landscapes in Catalunya,” she told the Olive Press.

“Securing a rural tourism licence here is impossible. You have to meet requirements covering everything from environmental integration, architectural preservation, energy efficiency and accessibility standards.”

She said her real estate agency, Cottage Properties, not only sells Catalan farmhouses but also restores them. Their rehabilitation of Mas dels Arbres was so true to regulations it featured on Spain’s Canal Decasa television channel as an example of authentic restoration.

For example, on the property’s listing page, we learn the property is fully self-sufficient with a solar energy installation. It has its own well. Plus wheelchair access.

(It’s also connected to the national grid for backup power.)

Historical features were preserved during the restoration, such as dry stone walls, historic floor tiles, a private chapel and original arches.

The property preserved its olive grove with 40+ centennial trees, plus almond trees and apricot trees.

According to Ponç Feliu, the director of the Cap de Creus Natural Park: “I really think Mas des Arbres is the best farmhouse restoration in the Park so far.”

As a bonus, future owners can access public grants to plant the 100-hectare plot with traditional crops such as grape vines, or extend the olive grove to make olive oil.

Still Seeking Its Knight

Perched above the Baix Emporda, the 12th-century Castell de Foixa is still waiting for the right investor to claim its crown - for a cool €10

million.

This 2,000 m² fortress –lovingly restored over 15 years – blends medieval grandeur with modern comfort: vaulted halls, a chapel, library, eight bedrooms and sweeping

views from its

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FROM MALIBU TO MORAIRA

Meet the Netflix property

tycoon who’s betting big on the Costa Blanca

MAURICIO Umansky can be forgiven for checking his phone a lot. Before sitting down with the Olive Press in Moraira, the Los Angeles property mogul has been closing a ‘multi-million-dollar’ deal back across the pond.

A client wanted to buy a home in Aspen, offload two houses in Miami and California, and then purchase one in Texas.

All in a single phone call.

It is this high-octane lifestyle that turned Umansky into the global face of luxury real estate –and a Netflix star to boot.

Just as The Agency Costa Blanca North was opening its doors in January 2024, season two of Buying Beverly Hills was about to launch. It’s enticing stuff: with one episode covering the sale of a $28 million mansion, another a peek around an NBA stars’ home.

Married for nearly three decades to actress and television personality Kyle Richards –known for The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and as the aunt of Paris Hilton – Mauricio has built an empire grounded in family, authenticity, and ambition.

Three of his daughters – Farrah Brittany, Alexia Umansky, and Sophia Umansky – have followed in his footsteps, working within the business closing $12.4 billion in sales each year. And this relentless drive to grow The Agency’s empire is what brought Umansky to the Costa Blanca on a sun-splashed autumn day.

Something about the Costa Blanca reminds him of Aspen – the world’s most expensive ski resort.

And that, he says, holds the secret to his next big venture.

By Joshua Parfitt

‘Bullish’ on the Costa Blanca

To understand Mauricio Umansky, you have to roll the clock back 24 years.

It was during the recession of 1991–92 that Umansky walked away from his father’s textile business to take a gamble on California’s high-stakes property market.

His first sale was a modest $700,000 home.

His second closed at $6 million.

Within a few years, he had become the top-selling real-estate agent in California – and the third in the United States.

Following a high-profile split from Hilton & Hyland, he co-founded The Agency in 2011.

You can see a theme here.

Just as the global economy began bouncing

back from the COVID-19 downturn, Umansky was already plotting his next business expansion across the Atlantic.

The Agency’s Spanish footprint began in Port d’Andratx in Mallorca, then followed Marbella

In January 2024, the Costa Blanca North office in Moraira became the third European outpost.

“I think there’s great potential in Spain,” Umansky tells the Olive Press. The Agency now has six offices in Spain.

“The value for money is incredible compared to other luxury markets. I’ve just been at a villa today, right on the beach in the town, that you can purchase for just over five million.

“I haven’t seen many properties in the world with that much frontage on such a beautiful, beautiful ocean.”

With low interest rates and steady demand for luxury homes in enclaves like Moraira, Xàbia and Altea, he says he’s ‘bullish’ about the Costa Blanca.

Then comes the comparison that makes property insiders lean in.

“Aspen is its own little micro-climate,” he explains, referring to the Colorado ski haven that tops global charts for prime-real-estate values.

Even when the wider market slows, Aspen keeps moving, because the people who buy there always buy.

It’s a comparison he doesn’t make lightly.

The Costa Blanca, he believes, has that same enduring allure of limited space, international appeal, and a market that shrugs off trends.

Of course, The Agency isn’t the first luxury brokerage to spot opportunity along this coast, where Moraira regularly posts the highest land values in the Valencian Community.

Others have come before.

But Umansky insists his company holds a few secrets that give them an edge.

Innovations, he hints, that could soon change the way Europe’s most exclusive properties are bought and sold.

Secrets of success

Keen-eyed readers will have seen the trump card Mauricio Umansky holds over competitors.

If not, I’ll let Alistair Barton, Managing Partner at The Agency Costa Blanca North, spell it out.

“Most estate agencies hate it when somebody walks into the office and says, ‘We’re interested in Moraira, but we’re also looking at the Costa del Sol or even Portugal.

“For us at The Agency, that’s fantastic.”

Barton explains how the company’s global network has already allowed him to sell homes to clients based in Canada and then, from his desk in Moraira, assist with transactions in Mexico, Portugal the Netherlands, and Florida.

The result, he says, is a client-focused service that keeps people coming back.

Unlike traditional agencies that treat each sale as a one-off transaction, The Agency builds

‘long-term relationships’ that span continents –and years.

“Already, I have the phone ringing constantly with valuation requests,” Barton adds.

“And within the nearly two years we’ve been open, we’ve already had buyers come back and give us other properties to sell. I’d say we’ve reached about a 50–50 seller and buyer split in our client base.”

Across the table, Umansky glances up from his phone.

“I just checked last night,” he says, grinning.

“Globally, sellers make up 50.6% of The Agency’s client base.”

It’s a staggering statistic – especially at a time when the Bank of Spain estimates a national shortfall of around 400,000 to 450,000 homes, and estate agencies are scrambling for homes to sell.

But that strength is about to become something even more powerful.

At several points in the interview, Umansky and Barton refer to a new ‘tech system’ quietly being developed within The Agency.

Umansky predicts it will cause what he calls “a disruption” in how high-end property is bought and sold.

“We’re the leaders now.”

And with that, the man who’s conquered Beverly Hills hints how his next real estate revolution is about to unfold, ri-

ght here on the Costa Blanca.

tion of Fatal Victims of the Dana, gave a searing speech that captured the mood.

“It’s brutal that a year on, we are still in the same position,” she said. “He abandoned his people and continues to be expendable.

“There is so much pain and so much anger that we cannot stop fighting. Almost no one has been able to start mourning.”

Her final words echoed through the crowd:

“They are not dead, they are killed.” Within seconds, thousands were chanting it back.

Other speakers accused the regional government of stonewalling investigations and dodging responsibility.

Marilo Gradoli, president of the Dana Victims Association, said they were still demanding ‘truth, justice and reparation’.

“All we have received are lies,” he said.

“We have seen no trace of solidarity or empathy towards the victims and those affected. We have been ignored and de-

culties balancing work and family life – especially single parents,” Hernandez said. According to the report, 15% of families lost their homes, and one in four now consider their housing unsafe for children. In the worst-hit municipalities, 80% of families still live in damaged or unrepaired buildings. While reconstruction has focused on infrastructure and economic recovery, Save the Children warns that children’s wellbeing is being sidelined. The charity urges the government to make young people a priority in disaster planning and rebuilding.

“It’s essential that children’s welfare is considered in every decision,” Hernandez stressed.

“We must strengthen support for education, mental health and vulnerable families – and put children at the centre to ensure their rights and resilience in future emergencies.”

ceived.”

Garcia, who lost her husband and daughter when their car was swept away, said it was ‘unacceptable’ that Mazon remained in power.

“He has shown he was not up to the task,” she said quietly, her voice breaking as she addressed the crowd.

But on Monday, Mazon finally bowed to the inevitable and resigned, citing exhaustion and ongoing public pressure.

“I can’t go on anymore,” he told reporters after announcing his decision.

He fiercely criticised the national government’s handling of the crisis, but stopped short of confirming whether he would also step down from his regional assembly seat – a move that would end his parliamentary immunity.

The resignation followed weeks of mounting anger and polls showing that three in four Valencians believed he should quit.

The floods have become a defining moment for Valencia. Streets once filled with water now carry the weight of remembrance.

Memorial plaques are starting to mark the spots where people died. Families gather periodically at vigils to light remembrance candles at makeshift shrines.

For many, the pain remains raw. The storm didn’t just take lives – it tore families apart, wiped out livelihoods and left deep mistrust in local institutions.

Mazon’s government has since launched new flood prevention schemes and promised upgrades to emergency infrastructure. But critics say the progress has been glacial and that too many victims

have yet to receive full compensation.

Even Mazon’s own allies admit the political damage could take years to heal.

“He was caught between empathy and accountability,” said one regional official privately. “People don’t want words – they want justice.”

As Valencia prepares for another winter, the memories of that terrifying night remain close to the surface. The names of the dead are now read aloud every October 29 – a tradition that will continue for generations.

But for those who lost loved ones, remembrance isn’t enough. “We will not stop until there is truth,” said Alvarez. “Our families deserve more than silence and speeches.”

A year after the rain stopped, the storm of anger has finally claimed its most powerful casualty.

Three pairs of tickets to see The Psychedelic Furs live in Malaga

FANS of 70s rock rejoice – the Psychedelic Furs are coming to Malaga, and the Olive Press has got three pairs of tickets to give away.

The legendary post-punk romantics, led by brothers Richard and Tim Butler, return to Spain with their unmistakable mix of swagger, melancholy and melody.

Get ready to love your way to their exclusive La Trinchera show on November 18, where the brothers Butler will be strumming out some of their greatest hits.

From the moody pulse of Sister Europe to the irresistible shimmer of The Ghost in You, the Furs have soundtracked generations of dreamy outsiders and late-night thinkers. They’ll also be performing tracks from their latest album, 2020’s Made of Rain – a reminder that heaven is indeed the whole of the heart.

It was their first release in nearly 30 years, but the band’s influence never waned, with modern acts such as Interpol, The Killers, and The 1975, all citing the Furs as inspirations.

As part of their Spain 2025 tour, the band will also be gracing Barcelona (Nov 13), Sevilla (Nov 17), Madrid (Nov 21) and Valencia (Nov 22).

To be within a shout of winning one of the pairs of tickets, just answer this fiendishly simple question:

What year were The Psychedelic Furs formed?

Send your answer to: newsdesk@theolivepress.es by November 14.

Winners will be picked on November 15 – so keep the date open!

Scan the QR code to subscribe to the Olive Press

LA CULTURA

found

POLICE investigating the disappearance of a tiny €600,000 painting by master artist Pablo Picasso believe they have found the missing work.

Naturaleza muerta con guitarra (Still Life with Guitar), a gouache and pencil work measuring just 12.7cm x 9.8cm from the Malaga-born maestro, vanished into thin air en route to an exhibition in Granada. The artwork was due to be displayed at the CajaGranada foundation, but never arrived from its normal home in Madrid.

Policia Nacional believe they have found the paintingsubject to confirmation from experts The investigation initially focused on an overnight stop near Granada, where two people took turns to guard the cargo - but it is believed the discovery has been made in Madrid, suggesting the work never made it to the van in the first place.

EXILED Emeritus King, Juan Carlos, has said that democracy is the ‘legacy he left to Spain’ in his new memoir.

The book coincides with this month's 50th anniversary of the death of dictator General Francisco Franco (pictured with the king), but will not be published in Spain until early December.

The memoir also sees Juan

Royal democrat

Carlos expressing his desire for a good relationship with his son, King Felipe, and to see out his remaining years in Spain. In the book he says: “I hope above all, during my life, to have a quiet retirement, to renew a harmonious relationship with my son and, above all, to

return to Spain, to my home.”

Juan Carlos gave two interviews plugging the memoir to French media, including one to Le Figaro newspaper, where he talked about his part in restoring democracy after Franco's death- in November 1975.

He said: “After 40 years of dictatorship, I gave Spaniards a democracy that is still alive; it is my inheritance.”

Beni’s the star

TV detective drama Death in Benidorm to bring Costa Blanca intrigue to UK screens

A NEW British detective drama set in Benidorm is now filming on the Costa Blanca, promising seaside sunshine, expat bar culture and murder mystery in equal measure.

The six-part series, titled Death in Benidorm, centres on Dennis, a former UK police officer who has moved to Benidorm to run a bar and leave his old life behind. But when suspicious deaths begin to ripple through the resort, he finds himself pulled back into investigation. Working alongside him is Rosa, a sharp, observant barmaid who knows the rhythms of the town better than anyone. John Hannah (Four Wed-

By Walter Finch

dings and a Funeral; The Mummy) plays Dennis, while Carolina Becquer takes on the role of Rosa.

The supporting cast includes Ariadna Cabrol and Damian Schedler Cruz.

Filming is taking place in Benidorm and across the wider Costa Blanca, with the production leaning heavily into recognisable locations –beachfront promenades, British bars, hotel terraces and late-night streets. Producers say the tone will combine classic whodunnit storytelling with dry humour and the

everyday social life of a Spanish coastal resort. Death in Benidorm is being made by Blackbox Multimedia and Clapperboard, with international distribution handled by ZDF Studios.

Channel 5’s commissioning editor Greg Barnett said the series aims to deliver ‘character-driven crime stories with a strong sense of place’.

The series is scheduled for broadcast in 2026.

OP QUICK CROSSWORD

FREDDIE Mercury, the flamboyant Queen frontman regarded as one of the greatest rock singers of all time, will be honoured with a statue in Barcelona. Speaking during a Catalunya Radio podcast to mark the upcoming 50th anniversary of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, mayor Jaume Collboni said Barcelona owed the legendary British vocalist a ‘pending debt’ thanks to ‘music that inspired an entire generation’.

The monument, set to be installed in the recently-renovated Placa de les Glories, will pay tribute to Mercury and Montserrat Caballe (pictured together), the Barcelona-born soprano with whom he collaborated to produce Barcelona, the 1988 album, and its famous eponymous single. Despite Mercury’s death in 1991, the song became the de facto musical anthem of the 1992 Summer Olympics, held in the Catalan capital.

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November 29thDecember 12th 2023

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SCI-FI SKYLINE TURNS 25

Santiago Calatrava’s futuristic City of Arts and Sciences – once mocked as a white elephant – celebrates its silver anniversary as a magnet for tourists, culture lovers and luxury homebuyers

VALENCIA’S Museu de les Ciències is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a year of exhibits that take you from the Renaissance to the Red Planet.

Packed with hands-on fun, immersive displays and live science shows, the museum is a playground for curious minds of all ages.

The star attraction is the dazzling new exhibition ‘Leonardo da Vinci. 500 Years of Genius’, where cutting-edge digital tech brings the world’s most famous inventor back to life. Step into Renaissance Italy as giant projections whisk you through the streets of Florence, Rome and Milan. Marvel at Leonardo’s masterpieces – from the Mona Lisa to the Vitruvian Man – and even try your hand at his inventions in a recreated artist’s studio.

For thrill-seekers, there’s a virtual-reality flight over Florence that lets you soar above the city’s rooftops! Kids are in for a treat too with Metamorphosis. The Power of Transformation, a colourful new exhibition where youngsters can explore how nature, stories and even people change over time. Set across

five magical zones – including The Enchanted Forest and The Fairground – it’s perfect for little explorers aged six and up. The museum also offers L’Espai dels Xiquets for ages 3–8, plus the hands-on Scientist for a Day workshop.

Space fans can blast off with ‘Zero Gravity,’ ‘The Moon at Your Fingertips’ and ‘Mars: The Conquest of a Dream,’ exploring everything from lunar missions to life aboard the International Space Station. And don’t miss a stroll through the ‘Chromosome Forest,’ filled with quirky interactive games.

Live experiments in ‘La Ciencia a Escena’ and performances in the ‘Teatro de la Ciencia’ add a touch of drama to the day – proving that science

really can steal the show.

Next door, the Hemisfèric cinema has rolled out a blockbuster line-up. The brand-new ‘Leonardo da Vinci: Universal Man’ dives into the genius’s life with dramatic recreations and expert insights, while ‘Postcards from Other Worlds’ takes audiences on a stunning journey across the solar system.

From October 25, little ones can enjoy the family film 3,2,1… Despegamos (Blast Off!), while the dome’s massive screen also lights up with Auroras: Northern Lights, Animal Kingdom, Oceans, The Enchanted Reef: Kaluoka’hina 3D, Walking with Dinosaurs: Prehistoric Planet 3D, and the IMAX epic Amazon Adventure. It’s science, cinema and sheer wonder – all under one futuristic roof.

Is just as impressive as out!

Slowing down

SPAIN’S economy showed signs of cooling in the third quarter, with growth slowing to 0.6%, down from 0.8% in the previous quarter.

This marks the end of a nine-quarter expansion streak, although GDP still grew 2.8% year-on-year, ahead of the eurozone average.

Analysts point to weaker exports, partly due to shifting global trade patterns. Imports surged 1.1%, driven by cheaper products from China and Vietnam, as a result of US tariffs. Despite this, domestic demand remained strong, with consumer spending up 1.2%, and investment rising 1.7%.

Economists see the slowdown as a natural deceleration after years of strong growth, with forecasts for a 2.7% GDP rise for 2025, still above many European peers.

Unemployment rate in Spain rises to 10.4% despite record number of workers

By Ben Pawlowski

SPAIN'S labour market experienced a paradox in the third quarter of 2025, with both rising employment and a growing unemployment rate.

According to the National Statistics Institute (INE), between July and September, the number of workers increased by 118,400, reaching a record high of approximately 22.39 million.

However, the unemployment rate also edged up to 10.45%, from 10.29% in the previous quarter, despite the surge in workers. This represents the first rise in unemployment after three consecutive quarters of decline.

Around 60,000 people lost their jobs, bringing the total

OP Puzzle solutions

Quick Crossword

Across: 5 Two-way, 8 Plight, 9 User, 10 Pioneers, 11 Jewels, 12 As a man, 13 In a bit, 15 Tahiti, 16 Assassin, 17 Neil, 18 Beetle, 19 Emerge.

Down: 1 Nymphs, 2 Apnoea, 3 Given a chance, 4 The real thing, 6 Western Isles, 7 Warren Beatty, 14 To seek, 15 Tensed.

number of unemployed to about 2.61 million. Although the unemployment rate is Spain’s lowest for a third quarter since 2007, it remains high compared to the European average of under 6%.

The number of people either employed or actively seeking work exceeded 25 million for the first time, driven by a 0.7% increase from the previous quarter.

Significant employment growth was seen in health and social services (+112,700), administration (+47,500), and arts and

Good news, bad news

entertainment (+35,700). However, job creation slowed, with the 118,400 increase being the smallest since 2019.

The education sector saw a notable decline (-174,400), while information and communications (-39,100) and agriculture (-17,400) also lost workers.

GAME, SET, MATCH

After years of earning top US and Spanish credentials, I’m helping expats win at crossborder wealth management

HAVE you ever sat courtside at a tennis match, swiveling your head back and forth as you watch a shot on one side of the net followed by a return on the other and then back again?

If anyone had watched my activities while working at BISSAN Wealth Management the past few years, they might be reminded of a tennis contest. Instead of hitting shots across a tennis net, I have been adding to my financial knowledge on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. First in Spain, then in the U.S., then once again in Spain and then back again. I do so in order to provide exceptional financial advice to Americans who live in Spain. Cross-border financial planning is complicated. An advisor who lacks firsthand knowledge of the financial infrastructure of both countries may inadvertently be giving guidance that doesn’t match

the specific needs of Americans expats living in Spain. That’s why I earned a CERTI -

FIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification in the U.S. this year.

15-love.

In 2024, I served up two winning shots within Spain by 1) earning a master’s degree from Nebrija University in Spanish taxation (Máster en Fiscalidad y Tributación) and 2) writing a useful finance book in Spanish entitled “La Hoja de Ruta Fiscal y Financiera para los Españoles en España”. My book received the Literary Titan Book Award. Recipients of this award “are commended for their ability to transform complex topics into accessible and compelling narratives that captivate readers and enhance our understanding.”

Additionally, gender disparities deepened. While male unemployment fell by 22,000, female unemployment rose by 82,700, pushing the female unemployment rate to 12.11%.

Year-on-year, employment has risen by 2.6%, with 564,100 more people in work.

BBVA has reached a market value of more than €100 billion for the first time, just two weeks after its attempted takeover of Banco Sabadell collapsed.

The milestone makes the Madrid-based lender one of only four Spanish companies worth over €100 billion on the stock market, alongside Santander, Iberdrola and Inditex. Its shares have jumped around 12% since the failed bid, as investors welcomed the end of uncertainty surrounding a deal that would have required heavy capital spending and integration costs.

Analysts say the market is now refocusing on BBVA’s solid balance sheet and strong earnings outlook.

CASA Pescadores, a new seafood restaurant in Valencia’s historic Cabanyal district, officially opened its doors yesterday. Developed by Grupo Mercabanyal and Jugando con Fuego, the venue occupies a former fishermen’s house and shipyard, blending the area’s maritime heritage with modern dining.

The restaurant focuses on fresh seafood and traditional Valencian cuisine, divided into three distinct areas: a tapas bar, an open-flame grill, and a more formal restaurant offering seasonal, locally-sourced dishes.

Chef Edu Espejo, known for his seafood expertise, leads the kitchen alongside Marcos Moreno, who manages daily operations.

The restaurant aims to capture both local and international diners, offering a relaxed atmosphere that encourages lingering over meals, embracing the Valencian tradition of sobremesa.

With its prime location at 51 José Ballester Gozalvo, Casa Pescadores is already accepting reservations and seeks to attract diners ‘looking for a genuine, leisurely culinary experience’.

TOP DOLLAR

15-30.

In 2023, I scored two points in the United States by 1) earning a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor® certificate from The College for Financial Planning and 2) writing my first financial planning book: “The Dougherty Code: Secrets of Financial Planning in Spain Revealed”. This book, which I wrote in English, describes the financial opportunities and challenges facing

expats in Spain. It offers practical advice and demystifies the Spanish financial system, covering topics such as investments, taxes and regulations.

40-30.

I scored another point in Spain in 2021, when I was awarded a European Financial Planner certificate by the European Financial Planning Association of Spain (EFPA Espana). To

this day, I’m the only American to earn this certification.

Deuce. We don’t need to wait to find out who the winner is: it’s clearly any American in Spain who seeks cross-border financial planning and investment advice.

YOUNG CANCER RATES SURGE

Spanish scientists link rising colon, breast, and leukaemia cases to soaring obesity levels

CANCER rates among young people are rising sharply, Spanish scientists warn, as global obesity reaches crisis levels, now affecting over one billion people.

Reviewing a landmark 2022 Harvard University study, researcher Montserrat García Closas found colon cancer diagnoses among adults aged 20 to 49 increased by 1.4% annually between 2003 and 2017. Rates of breast cancer, leu-

Listen up

By Alessio Ghirlanda

kaemia, and three other obesity-linked cancers are also rising across all age groups.

García Closas, of London’s Institute of Cancer Research, said obesity explains part of the surge but not all, highlighting other risks such as alcohol, sugary drinks, junk food, pollution, and inactivity. A 2022 WHO report shows one in eight people worldwide

A NEW gene therapy based on Spanish research has enabled children born with previously incurable deafness to hear for the first time.

In a clinical trial of 12 children aged 10 months to 16 years, 11 began detecting sounds within weeks of treatment, and three regained completely normal hearing.

Developed by US firm Regeneron, the therapy - called DB-OTO - builds on over two decades of work by Spanish scientists at Hospital Niño

is obese - a figure that has more than doubled since 1990 and nearly quadrupled among

Jesus in Madrid and the University of Navarra.

It targets a rare mutation in the OTOF gene by injecting a healthy copy directly into the cochlea, restoring the ear’s ability to transmit sound signals.

Parents described emotional moments as their children responded to voices and began speaking. Experts call the results ‘a milestone’ in genetic medicine, with potential to treat other inherited deafness causes.

The findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

García Closas’ review, based on data from 42 countries, excluded Spain due to its lack of a national cancer registry.

obesity-related cancers are increasing, others - such as stomach, oesophageal, oral, and liver cancers - are declining, possibly due to reduced alcohol consumption.

The findings, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, warn that colon cancer now accounts for 9% of global cancer deaths, making it the second leading cause after lung cancer.

However, it found that while

Harvard epidemiologist Shuji Ogino warned that without effective preventative measures, cancer rates will continue rising as younger generations age, underlining the urgent need for global lifestyle and policy interventions. children and young adults.

REuse

O P LIVE RESS MALLORCA

Service with a smile

A GRANADA cafe owner overcharged an elderly customer by €22,000 over the space of two years by charging his card out of sight and adding on hundreds to each bill.

Chair thieves

A BAND of thieves had the innovative idea to steal chairs for bar and restaurant terraces in Madrid. They stole over 1,100 and fenced them to buyers in Morocco and Romania.

We’re sorry

THE Spanish government has finally admitted its regret to Mexico over the ‘pain and injustice’ inflicted during the colonial conquest of central America half a millennia ago.

FOUL CALL

SPANISH football fans can breathe a sigh of relief: La Liga has U-turned on its plan to host Villarreal vs Barcelona in the US. The clash, orig inally set for December 21 at Villarreal’s Estadio de la Ceram ica, was to be the first European league match played out side Europe after the Royal Spanish Football Federation ap proved the Mi ami venue. But the idea sparked fury. Fans hit the streets, and play ers staged a cheeky protest:

By Ben Pawlowski

for 15 seconds at the start of each match, all 20 La Liga teams refused to move. The Spanish Footballers’ Associa ‘symbolic against ‘lack of transparency, dialogue and coherence’.

Now,

the Miami event promoter Relevant, backed by the Hard Rock Stadium and Miami Dolphins owner, says there’s simply ‘insufficient time’ to organise the match. Villarreal vs Barcelona will instead take place at its original stadium on the scheduled date.

La Liga called the postponement a blow to Spanish football’s ‘international profile’, while Barcelona said it ‘respects the decision’ but regrets missing the chance to grow the competition’s image in the US.

The fiasco echoes the 2021

A EUROPEAN court has ruled that a dog lost while being loaded onto an Iberia flight is no better than ordinary luggage. Mona, an eight-kilo dog, bolted from her cage at Buenos Aires airport in October 2019 as staff prepared her flight to Barcelona. Despite frantic chases, she disappeared beyond the airport perimeter.

Villarreal vs Barcelona stays in Spain after fan and player uproar

European Super League saga, when fan fury sank a breakaway tournament in days.

But La Liga hasn’t given up on America entirely; executives continue eyeing the growing market stateside, hoping to compete with the Premier League and UEFA Champions League for global eyeballs and dollars.

For now, fans in Spain can rejoice: no jet lag, no Miami heat - just football where it belongs, at home.

Dog-gone it!

Northern visitor

SPAIN isn't just about scorching sun and sangriathe Northern Lights have just made an appearance. In a celestial spectacle, the famous green and pink hues - usually reserved for Nordic getaways - danced across the horizon thanks to a whopping Kp-index 6 geomagnetic storm. Areas from Galicia to Catalunya and even as far south as Andalucia witnessed the impossible.

“We thought it was fake news!” one stunned tourist in Zaragoza said. “You come for the paella, you stay for the aurora!”

While not as intense as the May 2024 mega-storm, this display proves you don’t need a parka and snow boots to see Mother Nature’s best light show.

Owner Grisel Ortiz launched a years-long search, creating a Facebook page and offering a reward, but Mona was never found. Ortiz sued Iberia for €5,000 in emotional damages. The airline accepted responsibility but argued the dog was checked in as ordinary baggage without a special declaration. The Court of Justice of the European Union agreed, ruling that animals in aircraft holds are legally equivalent to luggage. Ortiz’s lawyer criticised the decision, saying it fails to recognise the ‘moral and psychological damage’ caused by losing a pet.