THE Olive Press website has seen visitor numbers more than DOUBLE since launching a brand new look.  After months of arduous planning, www.theolivepress.es entered a new era at the weekend.  In just four days, our ambitious relaunch has had hundreds of new registrations, while subscribers are flooding in from around the world – including the US and Australia.  More engaging and geared towards a younger audience, the new design was sorely needed after almost a decade without major changes. We are sure the hundreds of thousands of new readers we are now bringing to the site each m ..read more

A FORMER friend of Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner has revealed how he abused her child while out walking his dogs. Anja K told a court in Germany that the sex offender took pornographic photos of his daughter in a park. The German mother – who had become friends with the German paedophile via an online dating forum called Chat2000 – said he had abused the girl, aged just four, on various occasions. On day nine of the sex crimes trial of Brueckner in Braunschweig, the single parent from Hanover said she had left her child alone with him, while ..read more

THE anti-tourism protest on the Canary Islands tomorrow is expected to go international, with cities across Spain and Europe expected to show support. From around 12pm tomorrow, hundreds of protesters are set to take to the streets of the Canaries over the current tourism model, which they insist is ‘excessive’ and taking a toll on local services and housing. Dubbed 20-A, the movement will also see supporters gather in Malaga, Granada, Barcelona, Madrid, Berlin and London. In a press conference in Gran Canaria on Thursday, a representative for the activists blamed the government for failing to ..read more

ALICANTE-ELCHE and Valencia airports will be ‘expanded’ in future investments by airport operator Aena. It’s chairman and CEO, Maurici Lucena, told a shareholders meeting in Madrid that Aena is ‘preparing very seriously’ for the increase in air traffic with an ‘appreciable increase’ in investments. The plans will be included in its Spanish Airport Regulation Document covering the period between 2027 and 2031. READ MORE: Both airports have reported record traveller numbers over the first three months of 2024. The Valencian president, Carlos Mazon, has called for a second runway at Alicante-Elch ..read more

A MENORCA fishing village branded as Spain’s answer to the Greek island of Mykonos- due to its white buildings- has demanded measures to stop ‘disrespectful’ tourism during the summer. An estimated 800,000 tourists walk through the streets of Binibeca Vell during the high season, taking photos at viewpoints during sunset, and then walking around the narrow streets well into the evening. “They go inside houses, sit on the chairs, took things, step on the walls, have a drink… Well, there’s a little bit of everything, and if this is not regulated, it happens again every summer,” said a resident ..read more

THE alleged killer of Singaporean tourist Audrey Fang will remain behind bars as the investigation into her murder continues. An investigative judge at a Cieza court in Murcia, southern Spain, made the ruling on Friday after taking into account all the available evidence. Audrey, an architect, 39, was last seen on CCTV leaving her luxury hotel and spa in Javea, Alicante, on the Costa Blanca, on April 9. Her body was found the next day some 150km away in Abanilla, Murcia, where it had been cruelly discarded on a dirt road where lorries usually park. READ MORE: Timeline of the ..read more

SPAIN has the world’s highest percentage of bald or balding men according to a survey commissioned by a chain of hair transplant clinics. The study of 43 countries put 44.5% of males in Spain as bald, edging out Italy(44.3%) and France(44.2%). Next on the list are the United States (42.68%) and Germany (41.51%). READ MORE: If you want plenty of hair, then you need to be in Indonesia which came bottom with 26.9%, just seeing off Colombia on 27.0%. Baldness causes are genetic and hormonal, as well as being caused by a diet lacking essential nutrients, thyroid problems, iron deficiency ..read more

A JOINT operation between the Policia Nacional and the Guardia Civil has busted a network in Spain’s Catalunya region that was trafficking Colombian nationals into the country and forcing them to work in restaurants for a pittance.  Twelve people have been arrested in Tarragona province and Italy, and face charges of belonging to a criminal organisation, human trafficking for labour purposes, unlawful detention and document fraud.  Searches by the authorities also turned up weapons, more than €22,000 in cash, documents and computer equipment.  The investigation began back in Oct ..read more

SPAIN’S much-loved high-speed rail network is set to grow even further later this year, with new connections between Madrid and the cities of Logroño in La Rioja region and Teruel in Aragon region from November onwards.  That’s according to the latest announcement made by the Socialist Party’s Transport Minister Oscar Puente, who was explaining the changes to the network that will come into force thanks to the new Avril train.  Speaking at a press conference alongside Raul Blanco, the president of the state rail operator Renfe, Puente explained that the new trains would improve the h ..read more

SPAIN could be set to feel its coldest temperatures of the year next week in the middle of April. A cold front moving in from the Arctic will bring winter-like conditions for Spain and the whole of Europe. This frigid air will descend towards the Mediterranean before moving towards the Iberian Peninsula.  By Monday, the northern third of Spain will feel the chill, spreading across the rest of the Peninsula by Wednesday.  READ MORE: Miserable weather heading to Spain: Weather front from the UK and a DANA from the west will bring storms and showers to parts of Andalucia and ..read more