From The (Acting) Digital Editor
Ben Pawlowski
Dear Olive Press readers,
I know what you’re thinking. Where’s our trusty digital editor Walt, and who on earth is Ben? Well, August is now upon us and, in a true sign of successful integration into Spanish society, Walt has hit the road for a well-earned lengthy break. But the news does not stop, so I have stepped up to fill my colleague’s rather sizeable shoes and will be with you for the next couple of weeks.
The week started rather well (or rather badly, depending on who you ask) as we basked in the glory of England’s dramatic, hard-fought penalty shootout win over Spain in the Women’s Euro 2025 final. Keeper Hannah Hampton was the heroine after making two top saves in the shootout – but did you know this fluent Spanish-speaker spent much of her childhood near Valencia? Our podcast powerhouses delved into the story on this week’s episode of the Rest is Spain.
Unfortunately, things soon took a turn for the worst after far-right provocateur and old friend of the Olive Press, Tommy Robinson, was filmed next to an unconscious man in central London. Our sources told us he was likely to head to Spain – a favourite bolthole against legal issues in Blighty – and so it proved when we learnt he had fled to Tenerife. Our exclusive report was picked up by the Daily Express, Mirror and Independent, among others.
Elsewhere, records appeared to be falling left, right and centre: Spain welcomed 9.5 million tourists in June, hit its lowest unemployment rate since 2008 and continued to lead the way as new GDP growth figures were published, all while its top banks raked in eye-watering profits totalling €17 billion.
So all is good on the economy front, right? We’re not so sure. In worrying news, inflation continues to tick upwards, while a new tariff deal between President Trump and the EU has been slammed by member states as a one-way street. We have an in-depth explainer on the latter.
It was a quieter week for embattled PM Pedro Sanchez after recent furore over brothels and more. Well, that was until his transport minister sparked a diplomatic row with our amis across the Pyrenees with some ill-advised comments after a group of French Jewish kids were booted off a Vueling fight in disputed circumstances. And then the commissioner he appointed to oversee reconstruction in Valencia after last year’s horrendous floods was forced to resign over allegations he faked his CV. So maybe not so quiet, after all.
Mr Sanchez’s future remains up in the air – much like some of our aerial-focused headlines this week. Spain dropped 12 tonnes of food into war-torn Gaza on Friday, while spectators at an air show in Asturias were left with hearts in their mouths when a fighter jet came harrowingly close to dropping on their heads – before the pilot quickly pulled his aircraft up and away. The footage is quite something.
Closer to home, it was time to wheel out the birthday cake as the Costa del Sol’s railway line turned 50. Local mayors used the opportunity to advocate for urgent improvements – and they may be rather jealous of the €1.5 billion Madrid has earmarked for improvements at Malaga Airport.
We had more travel news – and not just the air traffic control failure that wrecked havoc for travellers in the UK. Airline operator AENA announced a 6.6% hike in airport taxes, which went down like a lead balloon with the higher-ups at Ryanair. The Irish-based airline are already warning of ‘drastic cuts’ to their winter programme.
Some may think of that as good news with the anti-tourist crusade still in full swing. In Alicante, locals took to the streets to rail against sky-high housing prices – even as new data revealed property sales have fallen. In Barcelona, authorities have unveiled a timeline to double the city’s tourist tax. Last year, the Catalan capital vowed to ban unlicensed tourist lets, and on Wednesday Airbnb removed tens of thousands of ‘unlawful’ listings across Spain.
Unfortunately, the week ended with devastating news from Catalunya. Two young British siblings, aged 11 and 13, tragically passed away after getting into difficulty while swimming off the coast of Salou, Tarragona, on holiday. A GoFundMe page has since been set up to support the family. RIP Ameiya and Ricardo Jr.
I don’t want to end the newsletter on such a sad note, so here are a handful of other stories that you may like. Perhaps the row over a proposed 300-metre-tall bull statue in Burgos, the Andalucia town using AI to promote tourism, or the new route for Spain’s posh Al-Andalus train (think an Iberian version of the Orient Express).
Or perhaps the poor Spanish football player who spent a day in hospital in Greece after a rogue dog nipped his crown jewels. Ouch.
On that note, have a great weekend.
All the best,
Ben
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