EXPLAINER News - Olive Press News Spain

EXPLAINER: Why does Andalucia get so many earthquakes – and should residents be worried after magnitude-5 tremor rocks Granada?

RESIDENTS in Granada were abruptly awoken in the early hours of Saturday after a powerful earthquake shook the city, sending terrified locals fleeing into the

16 Aug, 2026 @ 15:45

Environment·EXPLAINER·Granada·Lead

A man and a policeman survey the Ceuta border wall

EXPLAINER: What to expect in beleaguered Ceuta this weekend

As Spain braces for a possible repeat of last month's mass border crossing, here is everything you need to know

15 Aug, 2026 @ 09:08

EXPLAINER·Lead·National News

The Ceuta crisis explained: Why did 60,000 migrants come, who’s to blame, and will they go on to the EU?

WHY are so many migrants trying to cross into the Spanish enclave and will your holiday plans be affected?

3 Aug, 2026 @ 19:26

Andalucia·EXPLAINER·Lead·National News

EXPLAINER: This is how Pamplona’s world-famous running of the bulls unfolds each year during the Sanfermines

EACH morning of the week between 7 and 14 July a rocket will be fired at eight o’clock precisely in the Navarre town of Pamplona.

1 Jul, 2026 @ 12:30

Animals·EXPLAINER·La Cultura·Lead·Northern Spain

EXPLAINER: These are the scandals threatening to topple Spain PM Pedro Sanchez’s government – involving his wife, brother and Socialist predecessor

ON Tuesday, Pedro Sanchez will celebrate eight years since a vote of no confidence toppled Mariano Rajoy and ‘El Guapo’, as an adoring public christened

31 May, 2026 @ 20:19

EXPLAINER·Lead·Politics

EXPLAINER: What will happen to Spanish passengers evacuated from hantavirus-hit cruise ship – including rigorous testing and 42-day isolation

SPANISH passengers rescued from the hantavirus-stricken MV Hondius cruise will face up to six weeks in quarantine as authorities scramble to contain the outbreak. The

11 May, 2026 @ 12:01

EXPLAINER·Health·Lead

EXPLAINER: What is a ‘super El Niño’ phenomenon – and will it make this summer Spain’s hottest yet?

A POSSIBLE ‘super El Niño’ is raising concerns that this summer could bring extreme heat to Spain. Experts say there is a strong chance the

19 Apr, 2026 @ 16:10

Environment·EXPLAINER·Lead·Weather

EXPLAINER: Top tips for buying a used car in Spain – and avoiding the scammers that target expats

BUYING a car in Spain can feel daunting, especially with language barriers and unfamiliar rules. Many people, in fact, rely instead on deplorable public transport,

8 Apr, 2026 @ 17:45

Business & Finance·Crime & Law·EXPLAINER·Lead

The surprising way Franco saved Marbella from becoming a concrete jungle

MARBELLA wasn’t always glitz and glam or the international hub for the ‘manosphere’ it is today. In the 1970s, the town could have ended up

4 Apr, 2026 @ 15:00

EXPLAINER·Lead·Marbella·Olive Press Travel

EXPLAINER: Why have encounters with orcas in the Strait of Gibraltar collapsed by 80% in just two years?

ORCA encounters in the Strait of Gibraltar have dropped dramatically, falling by around 80% in just two years . As a result, sailboats operating in the

3 Apr, 2026 @ 15:25

Animals·Environment·EXPLAINER·Gibraltar·Lead

From dictatorship to European Union powerhouse: Spain’s 40-year journey of successes, setbacks and stories that transformed a country

IN 1986 Spain was a young, fledgling democracy, still shaking off nearly 40 years of a centralised, authoritarian dictatorship under General Francisco Franco – one

21 Mar, 2026 @ 12:00

Business & Finance·EXPLAINER·Lead

Spain launches its new €60-a-month public transport pass – here’s how it works

SPAIN has introduced a new nationwide public transport pass costing €60 a month, aimed at making travel cheaper for residents and encouraging people to rely

14 Mar, 2026 @ 14:00

EXPLAINER·Lead·Travel News

EXPLAINER: How has the war in Iran impacted wholesale energy prices in Spain – and what does it mean for my household bill?

WHOLESALE energy prices in Spain have skyrocketed by almost 700 per cent in just a week in response to the ongoing war in Iran, triggering

12 Mar, 2026 @ 09:25

Business & Finance·Environment·EXPLAINER·International Affairs·Lead·National News·Politics

EXPLAINER: The do’s and don’ts of finding a removal service when moving abroad

After a pair of Olive Press readers lost €25,000 furniture to a bogus removal firm, these are the crucial checks every expat must make before

25 Feb, 2026 @ 09:12

EXPLAINER·Lead

EXPLAINER: How British and American landlords in Spain finally have the same tax rights as EU neighbours

BRITISH and American property owners letting out homes in Andalucia and across Spain can finally breathe a sigh of relief. A landmark court ruling means

19 Feb, 2026 @ 08:00

EXPLAINER·Lead·Property

Dual nationality? What you need to know about travelling to the UK from Spain under new ETA rules

The issue has raised questions among those in Spain who have dual nationality. What passport should they travel on? And will they be denied entry

10 Feb, 2026 @ 13:45

EXPLAINER·Lead·Olive Press Travel·Travel News

The seizure of 10 tonnes of cocaine from a rust-bucket ship reveals how the cartels resurrect ‘ghost ships’ to smuggle drugs into Spain

RUSTING against the dock in Santa Cruz de Tenerife sits the United S, a vessel that looks like it belongs in the scrapyard. Instead, it

12 Jan, 2026 @ 17:00

Canary Islands·Crime & Law·EXPLAINER·Lead

What is El Gordo? Spain’s national Christmas lottery takes place this weekend

EXPLAINER: Why Spain is obsessed with the lottery – and how it really works as this year’s winners are announced

EVERY December, televisions across Spain are tuned to the same hypnotic sound: schoolchildren singing out long strings of numbers in a chant that seems to

22 Dec, 2025 @ 16:00

EXPLAINER·Lead·National News

EXPLAINER: What is Spain’s new dog DNA scheme – and how will it catch owners on the Costa del Sol who don’t pick up after their mutt?

SPAIN is rolling out mandatory dog DNA registration across dozens of towns designed to catch naughty owners who leave their dog’s poop in the streets

26 Nov, 2025 @ 13:00

Costa del Sol·EXPLAINER·Lead·Other News

The perils of ‘Bargain Blitz’ are huge in Spain as the ‘ciberdelincuentes’ multiply on Black Friday

BLACK Friday is Christmas come early for fraudsters. Every online scammer around the world is looking to make a fast buck at the expense of

23 Nov, 2025 @ 08:00

Crime & Law·EXPLAINER·Lead

EXPLAINER: Spain is finally planning to overhaul its backlogged residency and immigration system – all you need to know

LIFE could be about to get a lot easier for expats and prospective expats in Spain after the government announced it is rolling out a

20 Nov, 2025 @ 16:00

EXPLAINER·Lead·Sponsored·Sponsored Article·Travel News

UK tourists help Costa Blanca airport soar to new May record

EXPLAINER: Which queue should British residents with a TIE card join to enter Spain now that the EES is here?

CONFUSION continues to reign at Spain’s airports over which queue British residents should use as the EU’s new digital border system, the Entry/Exit System (EES),

28 Oct, 2025 @ 16:00

EXPLAINER·Lead·Travel News

What Spain’s ‘Tourism Strategy 2030’ really means — from a new tourist rental watchdog to billions for small businesses

SPAIN’s ‘golden goose’ tourism sector – which fuels one in eight jobs and more than a tenth of the economy – is about to face

18 Oct, 2025 @ 10:00

EXPLAINER·Lead·National News·Olive Press Travel·Travel News

EXPLAINER: What to do – and what NOT to do – if your car is caught up in a sudden flash flood as Storm Alice batters Spain

AS Storm Alice leaves behind a trail of destruction across eastern Spain and the Balearic Islands, shocking footage has shown cars floating through city streets,

14 Oct, 2025 @ 17:00

EXPLAINER·Lead·Other News·Weather

TBrussels rules out suspending new EES border controls at Spain's airports - and blames local management for bottlenecks

EXPLAINER: Here’s how the new EES border system will work for Brits entering Spain and other EU countries from next month

BRITISH travellers will face fingerprinting, photos and binding questions at EU borders from October once the new Entry/Exit System (EES) comes into force on October

1 Oct, 2025 @ 08:00

EXPLAINER·Lead·Travel News

Costa Blanca has two of Spain's poorest big city areas based on income tax payments

EXPLAINER: How to claim the new €1,200 tax deduction for renters in Andalucia (and who’s eligible)

RENTERS in Andalucia can now claim back a cool €1,200 on their annual tax bill – here’s how to do it. Who qualifies for €1,200?

30 Sep, 2025 @ 18:15

Andalucia·EXPLAINER·Lead

EXPLAINER

EXPLAINER: Why does Andalucia get so many earthquakes – and should residents be worried after magnitude-5 tremor rocks Granada?

EXPLAINER: What to expect in beleaguered Ceuta this weekend

The Ceuta crisis explained: Why did 60,000 migrants come, who’s to blame, and will they go on to the EU?

EXPLAINER: This is how Pamplona’s world-famous running of the bulls unfolds each year during the Sanfermines

EXPLAINER: These are the scandals threatening to topple Spain PM Pedro Sanchez’s government – involving his wife, brother and Socialist predecessor

EXPLAINER: What will happen to Spanish passengers evacuated from hantavirus-hit cruise ship – including rigorous testing and 42-day isolation

EXPLAINER: What is a ‘super El Niño’ phenomenon – and will it make this summer Spain’s hottest yet?

EXPLAINER: Top tips for buying a used car in Spain – and avoiding the scammers that target expats

The surprising way Franco saved Marbella from becoming a concrete jungle

EXPLAINER: Why have encounters with orcas in the Strait of Gibraltar collapsed by 80% in just two years?

From dictatorship to European Union powerhouse: Spain’s 40-year journey of successes, setbacks and stories that transformed a country

Spain launches its new €60-a-month public transport pass – here’s how it works

EXPLAINER: How has the war in Iran impacted wholesale energy prices in Spain – and what does it mean for my household bill?

EXPLAINER: The do’s and don’ts of finding a removal service when moving abroad

EXPLAINER: How British and American landlords in Spain finally have the same tax rights as EU neighbours

Dual nationality? What you need to know about travelling to the UK from Spain under new ETA rules

The seizure of 10 tonnes of cocaine from a rust-bucket ship reveals how the cartels resurrect ‘ghost ships’ to smuggle drugs into Spain

EXPLAINER: Why Spain is obsessed with the lottery – and how it really works as this year’s winners are announced

EXPLAINER: What is Spain’s new dog DNA scheme – and how will it catch owners on the Costa del Sol who don’t pick up after their mutt?

The perils of ‘Bargain Blitz’ are huge in Spain as the ‘ciberdelincuentes’ multiply on Black Friday

EXPLAINER: Spain is finally planning to overhaul its backlogged residency and immigration system – all you need to know

EXPLAINER: Which queue should British residents with a TIE card join to enter Spain now that the EES is here?

What Spain’s ‘Tourism Strategy 2030’ really means — from a new tourist rental watchdog to billions for small businesses

EXPLAINER: What to do – and what NOT to do – if your car is caught up in a sudden flash flood as Storm Alice batters Spain

EXPLAINER: Here’s how the new EES border system will work for Brits entering Spain and other EU countries from next month

EXPLAINER: How to claim the new €1,200 tax deduction for renters in Andalucia (and who’s eligible)

Man, 52, stabs his flatmate in the chest in upmarket Estepona golf urbanisation

Malaga reopens two beaches to swimmers as E. coli bacteria warning keeps four more shut during Feria week

Granada earthquake: Residents tell of terror as second powerful quake rocks city in four days

Tracing the legacy of Federico Garcia Lorca in Granada, 90 years after Spain’s most famous poet was murdered by Franco’s fascists

9 facts about Federico Garcia Lorca on the 90th anniversary of his death by firing squad in the Spanish Civil War

EXPLAINER

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