Lead News - The Olive Press Spanish Newspaper

Will it rain on the parade? What the experts are saying about Spain’s Semana Santa weather (and why no-one actually knows)

FROM Palm Sunday (March 29, 2026) to Easter Sunday (April 5), Andalucia will be taking to the streets. Ancient tradition dictates that Semana Santa must

24 Mar, 2026 @ 17:15

Andalucia·La Cultura·Lead·Malaga·Weather

Ecuadorean drug lord and ‘narcoterrorist’ lives free in Catalonia’s Costa Dorada after judicial blunder

ONE of Latin America’s most-wanted drug kingpins lives freely on Spain’s Costa Dorada after Spanish authorities released him from custody. William Joffre Alcivar Bautista, known

24 Mar, 2026 @ 17:00

Catalunya·Crime & Law·Lead

Warning for drivers in Spain as common manoeuvre could land you a €200 fine if done incorrectly

DRIVER in Spain are being warned of fines of up to €200 and loss of points for reversing when it is not allowed. The traffic

24 Mar, 2026 @ 16:32

Lead·National News·Other News

WATCH: Youths ‘doing wheelies and drifts’ at an illegal motorcycle rally in southern Spain attack police with rocks when they come to break it up

A TEENAGER has been arrested for attacking police who came to shut down an illegal motorcycle rally with rocks. The Guardia Civil has arrested the

24 Mar, 2026 @ 15:15

Andalucia·Cádiz·Cadiz·Crime & Law·Lead

War in the Middle East is driving a near-500% spike for short-term rentals in Barcelona as digital nomads head west seeking safe harbour

SHOCKING demand for short-term rentals in Barcelona has surged by almost 500% as global conflict pushes remote workers to relocate to Spain, putting fresh pressure

24 Mar, 2026 @ 14:30

Barcelona·Business & Finance·Catalunya·Lead

WATCH: Harrowing scenes as dozens of families are evicted on the Costa del Sol after ‘vulture fund’ buys their homes for just €14,000 each

DOZENS of families have been left homeless after a controversial macro-eviction was carried out on the Costa del Sol. Riot police and up to 16

24 Mar, 2026 @ 14:10

Costa del Sol·Lead·Property

Spain holds its breath for Semana Santa weather forecast – chill predicted but will it rain in Malaga?

SPAIN is bracing for a cooler start to Semana Santa, with temperatures set to drop sharply from Thursday – but will rain disrupt Malaga’s famed

24 Mar, 2026 @ 14:00

Andalucia·Lead·Malaga·Weather

The Olive Press does Brazil: The authentic boutique hotel hideaway in Rio born from an Abba producer’s dream

AFTER a few days in one of the two vibrant metropolises of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, most visitors to Brazil will be seeking

24 Mar, 2026 @ 13:55

Lead·Olive Press Travel·Travel News

Spanish property bargain: These two-story prefab homes with three bedrooms and bathrooms are selling for less than €42,000

PROSPECTIVE homeowners hoping to snap up a property bargain could be in luck after a leading brand unveiled an expansive prefabricated home model available at

24 Mar, 2026 @ 13:48

Lead·Property

One of Madrid’s best Japanese-fusion menu-del-dias – of course The Olive Press had to try it out

CHIRU is a refreshing change from the commercial chains and expensive cafes that line the nearby thoroughfares of Madrid’s Castellana and Gran Via. Only opening

24 Mar, 2026 @ 13:22

Food & Drink·Lead·Olive Press Travel·Other News

Have you seen this man? Spanish police use AI to visualise disguises for one of the most wanted drug traffickers in Europe

SPANISH police have turned to AI to imagine the many faces of one of Europe’s most wanted drug traffickers as the hunt for the fugitive

24 Mar, 2026 @ 13:13

Andalucia·Crime & Law·Lead·National News

Ten of the best weekend spa breaks in Spain and Portugal – including an 11th century castle and a little piece of Thailand

Relax, recharge or just spoil yourself with a weekend spa break.

24 Mar, 2026 @ 12:45

Exploring Spain·Lead·Olive Press Travel

Chinese mafia arrested in Barcelona for enslaving 60 women in ‘sub-human’ brothels across French border

DOZENS of women have been freed from ‘sexual slavery’ after Spanish and French police smashed a cross-border Chinese prostitution mafia. Police said they rescued 60

24 Mar, 2026 @ 12:29

Barcelona·Crime & Law·Lead

WATCH: Emergency declared on the Canary Islands as ‘tropical’ Storm Therese continues to cause havoc and dams threaten to overflow

MILITARY forces are being deployed to Gran Canaria as Storm Therese wreaks havoc across the archipelago with torrential rain and severe flash flooding. Local authorities

24 Mar, 2026 @ 12:12

Canary Islands·Lead·Weather

Juanma Moreno dissolves parliament and announces Junta election date – this is when Andalucia will head to the polls

ANDALUCIAN president, Juanma Morena, has announced that the province will head to the polls on Sunday 17 May. Speaking at Sevilla’s San Telmo Palace, the

24 Mar, 2026 @ 11:55

Andalucia·Lead·Politics

The Olive Press drops in on Granada’s best campsite restaurant with a 700-bottle wine list

‘WOW, I’m eating at a campsite.’ Yes, really. But this is no campfire-and-folding-chairs affair. It’s a full-blown, formal sit-down restaurant… and it’s open all day.

24 Mar, 2026 @ 11:49

Food & Drink·Lead·Olive Press Travel·Other News

Barcelona’s long-term rental housing stock collapses by 90% in just five years — where have all the homes gone?

NINE out of 10 rental properties in Barcelona have vanished from the market since 2020, according to the latest data from property portal idealista. It

24 Mar, 2026 @ 11:23

Barcelona·Lead·Property

Is Marbella shielded from the global turbulence created by Trump’s attacks on Iran?

IN times like these, it is natural to ask how global events will affect property markets. With the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Iran and

24 Mar, 2026 @ 09:36

International Affairs·Lead·Property

ON THIS DAY: The chilling Germanwings flight from Barcelona that ended in murder-suicide and 150 deaths

ON March 24, 2015, a commercial flight between Barcelona and Dusseldorf crashed into a French mountain. A total of 150 passengers and crew lost their

24 Mar, 2026 @ 08:15

Barcelona·La Cultura·Lead·Other News

Revealed: Anti-drug police chief among 100 corrupt ‘narco-cops’ arrested in Spain over last five years

THE government has revealed that 106 Spanish police officers have been arrested for drug-related offences since 2021. Among them is Luis Fernandez Rafael, the former

23 Mar, 2026 @ 18:15

Crime & Law·Lead·National News

German tourists blow up Valencia hotel room with high-grade fireworks on Night of Fire during Fallas celebrations

THREE German tourists have been arrested after allegedly setting off powerful fireworks inside their hotel room, in the hallways, and out of a window during

23 Mar, 2026 @ 17:00

Crime & Law·Lead·Valencia

Businesses and locals in Palma de Mallorca declare war on tourists who block the way by sitting down to eat ice-cream

AS the tourist season gets underway in Mallorca, residents and businesses are taking steps to discourage visitors from lingering in the streets to sit and

23 Mar, 2026 @ 15:15

Balearic Islands·Lead·Mallorca

Revealed: Foreign nationals now make up the majority of daily arrests by Spanish police

FOREIGN nationals account for 51 per cent of daily arrests in Spain, according to new police data. Internal police figures obtained by The Objective show

23 Mar, 2026 @ 13:50

Catalunya·Crime & Law·Lead·Madrid

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard are plastering Pedro Sanchez’s face onto ballistic missiles aimed at Israel with the words ‘thank you Prime Minister’

IRAN’s Revolutionary Guard is plastering photos of Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on missiles fired at Israel, according to Iran’s state-controlled news agency. A video

23 Mar, 2026 @ 13:29

International Affairs·Lead·Politics

Icy polar blast set to blanket Spain in wintery conditions ahead of next week’s Semana Santa celebrations – these are the affected areas

A BLAST of polar air is set to sweep across Spain, bringing a sharp drop in temperatures along with widespread rain, strong winds and snowfall

23 Mar, 2026 @ 12:25

Basque Country·Catalunya·Lead·Weather

Spain’s new tourism boom: Semana Santa bookings soar by 50% as holidaymakers shun other destinations amid Iran war uncertainty

TOURIST bookings to ‘safe’ Spain are surging this Easter as the Iran war continues to fuel global uncertainty, experts say. Semana Santa reservations across the

23 Mar, 2026 @ 12:13

Business & Finance·International Affairs·Lead·National News

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